


Right Time, Right Place

by gothamnight



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Child Neglect, Childhood Best Friends to Lovers, Cute Kids, Eventual Relationships, Fluff and Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, M/M, Mentions of other ships, Minor Character Death, Pining, Slow Burn, They're just very pure and cute i'm soft for once, they're babies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2019-11-01 10:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 71,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17865500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothamnight/pseuds/gothamnight
Summary: "Why did you take a picture of me?""I didn’t!""Don’t fuck with me."Tim gulped. "I— I wanted to just take a picture of the Batmobile," he said quietly.In which little Tim goes out to take pictures of Batman and runs into a boy trying to steal the Batmobile's tires. It leads to a friendship neither of them expected.





	1. Sonatine

**PART ONE**

 

Gotham was the hometown of crime and corruption. Not exactly the most family-friendly city, especially not for just a very small boy like Tim.

The name Crime Alley was enough to prevent any other nine-year-old boy from going there all alone but curiosity and fascination for Batman won over as always for Tim.

Tim gripped the camera in his hands. It was safely secured around his neck with a thick band, dangling in front of his stomach and way too heavy and big for his small hands. He didn’t mind, he liked his camera. It managed to take nice pictures of Batman with high quality and was the best present he had ever gotten from his parents.

He should be scared of being alone on the streets at a time like this but Tim was sure Batman would come and save him if anything were to happen. Besides, Tim was good at this. He had been doing this for a while now. Of course, it was frustrating a lot of times when his height prevented him from climbing up somewhere to get better pictures but being small also had its perks.

People often didn’t notice him. He could slip right past them or between tight gaps that most didn’t think anyone can fit in.

Batman wasn’t here when Tim arrived, but the Batmobile was. He held his breath, eyes widening upon seeing the sleek black beauty of it. He wanted to come closer and touch it but Tim didn’t dare to. Batman probably had cameras installed and he didn’t want him to later see in the footage that the Drake boy living close to them spent his nights out to take pictures of his car.

Tim decided to stay in the shadows. He excitedly brought up his camera to take a picture when he noticed a shadow moving behind the Batmobile. Soon, the owner of the shadow showed itself.

Tim accidentally took a picture, the shutter of his camera making the person jerk up. Tim dropped his camera in shock when his eyes met the one of the other boy standing behind the Batmobile. Luckily, the band around his neck prevented the camera from falling down and crashing on the asphalt.

"Hey!" the boy shouted. He was a few years older than Tim but Tim couldn’t tell how old. His hair was black and messy, as were the clothes the boy was wearing.

Tim stared at him and turned around. He ran away as fast as he could without any words.

"Wait! Stop!" the boy shouted after him. Tim didn’t stop, his legs got him away as fast as they could. Unfortunately for Tim, he wasn’t the most athletic guy and his legs were way too short in comparison to the stranger or actually to any other person.

The boy put a hand on Tim’s shoulder, preventing him from running away and turned Tim around. His hands found itself on Tim’s upper arms, his grip was tight and made Tim shriek.

"You’re just a kid," the boy said, surprised. Tim stared at him, he didn’t know what to say. No words came out of his mouth, instead, he just looked at the stranger in front of him. The boy had blue eyes and a bruised lip, towered several inches over Tim too. He raised his eyebrows at Tim, probably waiting for him to finally speak up.

"So are you," Tim blurted out.

The boy’s lips formed a smile. Not a genuine soft one, something about him was dangerous but Tim couldn’t exactly explain it. "Nah, I’m not. You on the other hand…" He looked down on Tim when he noticed the camera dangling in front of Tim’s chest. "Looks like an expensive camera."

He grabbed it, yanking the band from around Tim’s neck and inspecting it. "Why did you take a picture of me?"

"I didn’t!"

"Don’t fuck with me."

Tim gulped. "I— I wanted to just take a picture of the Batmobile," he said quietly.

"What? Speak up, kid."

"I wanted to take a picture of the Batmobile," Tim repeated, a little bit louder but his voice still nowhere near as strong and loud as the other boy’s.

"You’re here just to take a picture of the Batmobile?" Jason asked. Tim nodded quickly.

"I… I take pictures of Batman," he said.

The boy laughed. "You’ve done that before?"

"Yes," Tim admitted. He looked down. For some reason, the boy’s gaze made him uneasy, so Tim just stared down at their feet. The differences between them could also be clearly seen in their shoes. Even though the sneakers Tim was wearing were his more worn down shoes he used to go out to follow Batman, they looked new and clean next to the other boy’s whose shoes looked like they were falling apart soon.

"You won’t snitch to the Bat that I tried to steal his wheel?"

Tim’s head jerked up. "You tried to _what_?"

"I was going to steal his wheel before you interrupted me," the boy said. He narrowed his eyes and then looked down at the camera again, raising it up and turning it around to inspect it from every angle. "Since I couldn’t do it because of you, I might as well just take the camera."

"No!" Tim shouted.

The boy seemed surprised when Tim spoke up louder for the first time. "No?" he asked.

"Please don’t," Tim said. "It’s— I need my camera."

The boy looked over him. "You look like you’re not from here, kid. Lemme tell you, you’re lucky _I’m_ the one that found you. A rich kid like you shouldn’t come to Crime Alley alone during the night. You won’t survive here."

Tim pouted. "This isn’t my first time," he said.

The boy whistled. "How old are you? Seven?“

„ _Nine_ ,“ Tim corrected the boy with a firm voice. He knew he was even smaller than most kids his age but he was pretty offended the other guy thought he was _seven._

"Where are your parents?"

"That’s none of your business." Tim wanted to grab his camera but the boy just raised his arm. He laughed as he watched Tim try to get it back on his tiptoes, flailing with his arms without any success.

"I’m sure they can just buy you a new one. I need this more than you."

"Please," Tim pleaded. "Anything but my camera. I need it."

"Why?"

Tim dropped his arms and his hands found each other. He looked down at his palms, intervening his fingers and nibbling on his lower lip. "It’s the only thing that matters to me," he said quietly. "Watching Batman and Robin."

The other boy didn’t say anything for a while. "What if I give you the camera and you take the film?" he asked. "You can tell your rich parents you lost yours and they’ll buy you a new one."

Tim knew he was right. His probably would probably just buy him a new one, they didn’t really care about things like that. They bought Tim a lot of things, his playroom was stocked with stuffed animals, toys and video games. None of those things ever really interested Tim but the camera… he had never been so happy before.

"It has personal value," Tim said.

"Personal value?" The boy repeated with a mocking tone.

"I can give you something else!"

"What?"

Tim hesitated. There wasn’t much he had on him. He even left his phone home, the only other valuable thing that could’ve come into his mind. Besides his camera, Tim was just wearing his clothes and nothing else on him.

"I… I can give you something tomorrow," Tim whispered.

"Right. I know how you kids work, you’ll just run away to mommy and daddy."

"I won’t! I promise! Please. The camera is important to me."

The boy sighed and put it back into Tim’s hand. "Okay," the boy said. Tim gasped when he felt the cold material of his cameras against his palm.

"Thank you, thank you!" Tim said, smiling at him brightly.

"But don’t forget what you said. I’ll wait for you here tomorrow." The boy didn’t sound like he believed it either.

"I will be there! I promise!"

The boy just shrugged, putting his hands into the pocket of his washed out jeans. "I’ll find you if you don’t come." The way the boy said it didn’t sound like a threat at all. "At least tell me your name."

Tim knew telling the boy his real name was stupid. It was dangerous and Tim wasn’t _stupid_. He had survived so long out on the streets of Gotham at night all on his own not only because he was small and able to get away quickly, but also because knew how to use his brain. But the boy didn’t seem like a bad person.

He was just a kid after all, taller and older than Tim but still a child. He just had different circumstances than Tim, and he was sure the boy had a good reason for stealing. Tim could come up with a few, this was Crime Alley after all and the boy looked like a street kid.

Besides, a bad person wouldn’t hand Tim back his camera. A bad person would’ve probably beat Tim up which by the difference in their statures and Tim’s timid nature would’ve been way too easy, or just take the camera without discussing it with Tim at all. Maybe even steal his shoes or something.

On top of that, Tim didn’t remember the last time anyone actually talked to him that wasn’t the nanny that came over daily to make sure Tim was eating. His parents were gone most of the time and at school, nobody really talked to him either and just left him alone. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing as Tim never minded it— not really. He liked being alone, all his hobbies were better done alone and Tim didn’t know how to talk to most people anyway. Some kids at school called him weird when they tried to talk to him.

"Tim," Tim said. "And you?"

The boy looked at Tim with curious eyes. "Timmy, huh?"

"Just Tim," Tim insisted. The boy laughed.

"I’m Jason. We’ll meet tomorrow."

Tim smiled and nodded. Jason turned around and left. Tim watched him walk away and wondered if Jason had given him his real name. It didn’t matter, not really.

Should Tim come back tomorrow? A normal person would say no, as did his common sense. But somehow, he actually looked really forward to coming here tomorrow again and talk with Jason.

He really wanted to know what kind of person would steal from the _Batman._

 


	2. Curiosity

Tim’s been waiting for Jason for two hours now.

They never said when they’d meet but Tim didn’t mind waiting. It was almost summer, so it wasn’t too cold. He found his way up a fire escape and was sitting there with his camera in his hands, waiting for Batman to fly over him. He had actually seen him once already and had taken several pictures which he was sure at least had one or two good ones. Tim was excited just thinking about developing these pictures later.

"Kid! How the fuck did you get up there?"

Tim looked down, his legs dangling in front of him. Below was Jason, wearing the same washed out jeans and red shirt with a vest thrown over it as yesterday.

"I jumped," he said with pride in his voice. He didn’t mention that it had actually taken him at least twenty minutes until he was finally able to grab the ladder and taken a few more until he had finally been able to successfully pull himself up.

"Wanna come down or do I have to get up?"

Tim hesitated which Jason took as a reply. He looked around and ran towards the ladder, jumped and grabbed it easily. Tim was jealous watching Jason but it was only natural. He was older and taller than Tim, of course he wouldn’t struggle the same way as Tim did.

A bit later, Jason climbed up to the spot Tim was sitting at and sat down next to him. "I can’t imagine someone as short as you getting up here," Jason said.

"It took several attempts," Tim confessed with a quiet voice. Jason laughed.

"I knew it. I also really didn’t expect that you’d be here. Has someone ever told you you’re crazy?"

Tim shook his head. Nobody had ever caught him before. There had been Catwoman once but she had just told him to be safe and don’t let the big bad Bat catch him. If she thought he was crazy, she never said it.

"You don’t talk much, do you?"

Tim shrugged. He never really had anyone to talk to or anyone that was interested in what he said. His nanny was nice and Tim knew she tried her best but it seemed more like she was just doing her job than her actually caring for him. That was fine, he was used to it.

"What do you have for me?"

Tim brought a backpack with him. It was a Batman backpack a lot of kids in school had been wearing lately. It was black and yellow with a tint of grey and a huge Bat symbol in the front. When you pressed it, it began to shine and play the Batman theme. A lot of teachers hated that backpack because many kids just pressed the button for laughs during classes. Tim has heard there’s been a discussion to ban these things in the classrooms.

He opened it and brought out something in it. "Here," he said and handed it to Jason.

"What the fuck is this?" Jason asked, lifting it up to inspect it. It was a porcelain egg with golden ornaments.

"My parents bought it me the last time they went to China," Tim explained.

"What can a kid do with this?"

Tim shrugged again. He had no idea what to do with most of his parents gifts. He just put on a smile and thanked them whenever they gave him something. He was always just happy they didn’t forget him during their travels.

"Must be worth a lot. You sure you wanna give this to me?"

"I don’t need it," Tim said. Jason smiled at him and slid the egg into the pocket of his vest.

"Thanks, kid. Nice doing business with you," Jason joked. He was about to get up when Tim finally took the courage.

"Do you… want to stay here?"

"Huh?"

Tim could feel the heat rushing to his face and looked down on his feet again. "I made us sandwiches," he said. "A-And tea. It’s okay if you don’t want to…"

Jason was quiet for a second and Tim was already thinking about how he’d tell Jason to forget it, grab his things and run home. It was the first time, he actually asked another child to hang out with him, so being rejected would crush him.

"Okay," Jason said. "What kind of sandwiches?"

Tim looked up with wide eyes. "You’re staying?" he asked.

"Why do you look so surprised? You asked me."

"I…" Tim didn’t know how to reply. He tried hard to hide his excitement when he took out a lunchbox. "Peanut butter and jelly. I didn’t know what you liked, so I got what I liked." He opened the box and presented Jason the neatly made sandwiches Tim had made himself.

Jason grabbed one. "I’m fine with anything. Thanks." Tim watched Jason bite into it with anticipation. "Why are you watching me? Geez, eat your own sandwich."

"Right!" Tim put his attention back to the other half of the sandwich. He bit into it and it was the best sandwich he ever had. Maybe because he got to share it with… not a friend, but with someone.

"It’s really good. You said you got tea?"

Tim nodded and took out a Thermos bottle and two plastic cups. He gave Jason one and poured in tea for the both of them.

"You do this often?"

Tim shook his head. "Sometimes. But I’ve never done this with anyone else."

"I’m special then?" Jason smiled and Tim looked away. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Jason take out a pack of cigarettes from his vest. "Do you mind?"

"You _smoke_?" Tim was shocked. "That’s bad! You’re— you’re like thirteen!"

"Twelve actually," Jason said like that made it any better. The boy sighed and put the pack back.

"You shouldn’t do that. It’s not healthy," Tim said. He thought about that one class they had about saying no to drugs and how badly it affected your health, especially for a brain that hasn’t fully developed yet.

"Neither is going out in the night to watch Batman," Jason said.

"Nobody’s ever caught me before," Tim whispered.

"How long have you been doing this?"

Tim counted in his head. "Almost a year," he answered.

Jason whistled. "What makes an nine-year-old rich kid want to watch Batman?"

"It’s _Batman_ ," Tim explained. "Every kid loves Batman and Robin!"

"I don’t," Jason said.

"Why? He’s a hero. And he’s cool! He fights for what’s right! I’m not scared out here because I know Batman is there," Tim said. He barely even registered Jason anymore as he startled to ramble about his hero. When he was finished, he remembered that Jason was sitting next to him. Embarrassed from his speech about Batman, Tim hid his face with the long sleeves of his sweatshirt.

"You must really like him," Jason said. Tim shrugged again. "I get it but you’re not right. You _should_ be scared. You’ve only survived on luck so far." Tim wanted to protest but he decided not to. "I was raised here not like you rich kid. I know there are a lot of things Batman can’t protect us from."

Oh. Tim hadn’t thought about it that way. Ashamed, he looked down on his lap. "I’m sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Jason asked. Tim had no answer to that and chose to not say anything. "Would you want to be Batman?"

Tim gasped. A lot of kids dreamed to be Batman or Robin but Tim couldn’t ever even think about it. "No! I’m way too small and not athletic. I suck at P.E. And… I’m just Tim. I’m not something special."

He wasn’t like Dick Grayson, a trained acrobat that’s been flying through the air basically since his birth. There was no way Tim could ever even dream about being like Robin.

"I do," Jason confessed. "Not being exactly Batman or Robin but… it would be cool to kick these bad guys asses and be able to defend yourself. Never be scared."

Tim watched Jason with curious eyes. The other boy was looking up in the sky. "It’s him," Jason mouthed and grabbed Tim’s arm without realizing. Tim was startled by the other boy’s touch but quickly looked up to see Batman swinging through the night, making his way towards them.

Tim grabbed his camera and took a picture right when Batman flew past them. It was one of the best pictures he had ever gotten from the caped crusader.

"Did you get a good one?" Jason asked.

Tim smiled. "Yes! He was so close."

"That’s the closest I’ve ever been to him," Jason said.

"Really?" The closest Tim has ever been to him was when his parents introduced him to Bruce Wayne at a gala once but Tim wasn’t sure if that counted.

"You’re right," Jason admitted. "It _is_ kind of cool."

"I know, right? It’s even cooler when you watch him fight too," Tim said. "I once got a picture of him and Robin fighting Joker."

"Where do you think Batman went?"

Tim hesitated. "I have a radio with the police frequencies, we can listen to them," he whispered. Jason stared at him and then laughed.

"You’re weird," he said. _That_ Tim had heard often. But never in the tone like Jason did. Jason didn’t make it sound like an insult, something Tim should be ashamed of. It sounded actually like he was amused by Tim and it made him smile. "You’re not really like a normal nine-year-old."

"Do you want to follow Batman?" Tim asked.

"Do you always do that? Listen in where crimes happen and follow him?"

Tim nodded. "If it’s close enough," he said.

"How did you even get here?" Jason asked. "You probably live far away from here."

"My bike."

Jason laughed again but Tim wasn’t sure what was so funny about it. The boy got up and put his hands on his waist, looking down at Tim. "So, wanna run after Batman?"

"Together?"

Jason nodded. "Duh. I’ll ride your bike, you can sit in the back."

Tim’s eyes widened. He nodded hard, whipping his head down a bit too hard. "Yes!" He grabbed his things and quickly put them in his backpack. His entire body was tingling.

Following Batman wasn’t an unusual thing for Tim to do but doing it with someone else was something entirely different.

Jason helped him down the fire escape and even offered to catch Tim when he jumped down. Tim stumbled a bit against Jason when his feet hit the ground and thanked Jason quietly.

"So, where’s Batman?" Jason asked.

Tim grabbed the handheld radio out of his backpack. He pushed a few buttons and searched for right frequency. It wasn’t exactly clear but the boys both knew where Batman was.

"That’s not too far away from here," Jason said. "Okay, show me your bike!"

Tim leaped in excitement towards his bike which he parked a little bit behind the building.He could hear the footsteps of Jason behind him, following Tim to his dark blue bike.

"It’s a bit small," Jason said.

"Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Jason furrowed his brows as Tim opened the lock of the bike. Tim stepped back and shrugged. He was used to apologizing, most people left him alone once he did.

Jason sat down on the bike. "Okay, hop on, kid."

"You’re only three years older." Tim carefully sat behind Jason. He had never sit on the backpack before behind someone. He never had a friend. "Do you know how to get there?"

Jason turned around and flashed Tim a smile. "I know every part of Gotham, don’t worry. Hold on tight!"

Tim was nervous, not knowing where to place his hands but as soon as Jason started driving, he placed them on Jason’s back. He was scared a little bit and it felt way different than Tim had pictured it. But it was fun. Driving through the nights of Gotham during the summer with warm wind flowing into his face, blowing his hair out of his face.

Jason in the front laughed and let out a "Wooh!". Tim couldn’t help but smile as well.

They stopped a bit further away from where Batman was. There were a few police cars too, their sirens glowing in the night. The two of them parked the bike and Jason turned to Tim, putting his index finger against his lips. Tim mimicked the older boy’s gesture with big eyes which earned him a smile from Jason.

"Come here," Jason whispered and they tip toed to a building that was close enough to follow what was happening behind the police cars. "He’s here."

Tim watched the expression on Jason’s face shift. Even though he seemed way more mature than Tim with more experience and claimed he wasn’t a fan of Batman, he was still a child after all. A child that watched in awe how Batman was fighting Killer Croc.

"Do you think you can take a good picture from here?"

"You want me to take a picture?" Tim whispered.

"Of course. You have to give me a copy one later."

Tim smiled and raised his camera. Whether or not this will turn out well, he will frame it on his wall. It was the first picture of Batman in action he had taken together with Jason after all.

Before the authorities scattered, Jason and Tim leave again. Neither of them has said anything while watching Batman’s fight. They just wordlessly climbed on the bike again and Jason carried them away from the event.

He stopped at some point when they were far enough away and turned to Tim. "Where do you even live?"

"Crest Hill," Tim replied.

" _Jesus_ _Christ,_ Tim. How long did it take you to get here?"

"Uh. Half an hour."

Jason tilted his head. "Where are you parents?"

"In Argentina." At least, the last time they called, they were there. Tim wasn’t sure, sometimes they moved and forgot to tell him. Sometimes when they’re busy they don’t call him at all.

"I’ll drop you off."

"No, it’s okay," Tim said.

Jason shook his head. "I can’t let you go there alone."

"I’ve done it many times. It’s not that far away." Crime Alley and Crest Hill were actually right next to each other but the difference in those two districts was huge.

Jason reluctantly got off the bike and Tim jumped off too. "Okay." He handed Tim his bike back. "Tonight was fun."

"Really?"

"Why do you look so surprised? Did you not think it was fun?"

Tim looked down. He wasn’t exactly sure. "I don’t know. I thought it was fun but maybe you didn’t."

"You don’t have many friends, do you?"

Tim hesitated before pursing his lips. "Define friends."

"You and me."

"We’re friends?"

Jason smiled. "Yes, Timmy. Wanna meet up tomorrow again?"

Tim gasped. He must’ve seemed really excited and happy about Jason asking him because Jason laughed. "Okay."

"Bring a photo," Jason said.

"I will!" Tim smiled. In his mind, he even thought about all the other pictures he would make copies of to gift to Jason.

"Okay, get home safe, Timmy."

"Tim," Tim corrected him and got on his bike. "You too, Jason."

Jason waved at him one last time before Tim drove away into the night, a huge smile on his face. _He just made his first ever friend._

 

 


	3. My Sunday

When Tim told his nanny he invited someone over, she was pleasantly surprised. The two of them even went out grocery shopping together for the first time and she let Tim pick everything he wanted. Tim wasn’t sure if that was because the money was his parents anyway or because it was the first time Tim asked of anything.

He wasn’t sure what Jason liked so he got a lot.

"So, who is this friend?" Mrs. O’Reilly asked as the two of them prepared snacks in the kitchen.

"His name is Jason," Tim said. The nanny smiled at him.

"I’m glad you finally found a friend, Tim. I’ve been worried you’re always so alone," she said. "Do you go to school together?"

Tim nibbled on his lower lip. He couldn’t say he had sneaked out almost every night the last two weeks to meet up with Jason and to take pictures of Batman. "Yes," he lied. "He’s two grades above." Another lie, but he was sure it’d be weird otherwise.

Why would a guy three years his senior hang out with Tim? He wasn’t even sure why Jason hung out with him anyway. Tim was sure he had better things to do anyway. Jason always seemed so… _cool._ Tim was sure he’d belong to the cool kids at school or at least not be a loner like Tim. He was really tall for his age and confident, never afraid to say something, and fearless. Tim wished he could be like Jason.

"Your parents will be delighted to hear you found a friend."

Tim wasn’t so sure about that. Especially his mother, who had told him many times during events not to meddle with some children that she thought were below them. Tim remembered her trash talking Dick too even though he was the son of the wealthiest man in Gotham.

"Mrs. O’Reilly, it’s three already," Tim said and pointed at the clock. On Sundays, she never stayed long. Tim knew she had her own children and was sure she’d rather spend her time with them than some child of other people.

"You’re right! Have fun today." She smiled and Tim nodded wordlessly. He didn’t get out of the chair to follow her to the door. "Oh, you must be Tim’s friend!"

Tim jerked up and ran towards the entrance.

"Yes… I’m Jason," Jason introduced himself. For the first time since Tim had known him, he looked unsure of himself and a bit nervous.

Mrs. O’Reilly just smiled. "I was just about to leave. Have fun boys! Don’t eat too many sweets." She left and Jason stepped in.

"Was that…"

"Mrs. O’Reilly," Tim confirmed. "Uh… welcome."

Jason looked around. "Your place is huge!"

Tim shrugged. It was normal for him but he was sure for Jason’s standard it was big. He didn’t actually know much about Jason, the other boy didn’t like talking about himself. He talked a lot but never about his own life. Tim wished he’d know more about him but he didn’t want to press or annoy him.

They’ve got close enough over the two weeks that Tim was comfortable enough to invite him over but he was also still new to all this. He never had a friend before and wasn’t sure where the lines to a friendship were or how close they actually were.

"Do you want me to show you around?" Tim asked.

"Do you want me to rob your house?" Jason shot back. Tim stared at him. "Relax, I’m just joking." Jason grinned at him and Tim nodded slowly.

"Okay. So… it’s a yes?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yes."

Tim showed him around the house and made a few comments here and there but it was mostly just Jason doing the talking.

"And you’re alone all the time?" Jason asked. "In this huge ass place?"

"I’m not alone. I have a nanny drop by for a few hours every day," Tim said. He left out that some days, nobody came over. Jason shook his head.

"You’re nine."

Tim didn’t know what to say. He was sure Jason didn’t have a conventional family either or else he wouldn’t be able to sneak out every night with Tim too.

"Here’s my dark room." Tim opened the door to it and Jason gasped as he entered it.

"Wow." He quietly walked around the small room in which Tim spend a lot of his time. "You really have a dark room."

"It’s important to get good pictures."

"What about digital cameras? I’ve heard some say they’ll replace film cameras soon."

Tim shrugged. "I like it more this way. It’s fun."

"It looks cool," Jason agreed. "Can you show me how it’s done?"

Tim smiled at him, already expecting that. He hadn’t developed the pictures they shot together last night and grabbed his camera. "Okay!"

 

* * *

 

From then on, Jason came over often.

Tim was happy each time and wondered if Jason had other friends besides Tim. He still never talked about his own family situation or where he went to school whenever Tim talked about homework. But Jason liked spending time at the Drake Manor and that was enough for him.

He finally played all the multiplayer games his parents had brought Tim that were collecting dust due to having no one to play with and it was way more fun to play games with someone else.

Jason also really liked hanging out in the library. It wasn’t a really big one but Tim knew thathaving a library in your home wasn’t exactly normal. They spent time reading books next to each other on the couch. A lot of times, Jason laughed while reading something and then nudged Tim with hit foot and read the passage he thought was funny out loud.

Even when Tim didn’t find it particularly funny, he smiled. Not to be polite like his usual smiles around everyone else were but because he liked it when Jason wanted to share something with him.

When Summer Holidays started, Tim finally was able to spend all his free time with Jason. Sometimes, he was scared he’ll bore Jason one day but that feeling was slowly disappearing. He actually believed that maybe Jason liked to spend time with Tim as much as Tim liked to spend time with Jason.

"When are your parents coming back?" Jason asked him one day when they were in Tim’s playroom. They had long abandoned the video game they’ve played before but didn’t bother to turn it off, letting the video game music play in the background which was oddly calming to Tim despite its high pitch.

The two of them lied on their stomach and were currently making a collage of Batman and Robin. It was homework for Tim’s art class over the holidays to make one of his heroes and obviously, he decided to choose those two. Jason had laughed when Tim told him about it and offered to help.

"I don’t know," Tim said. "The original plan was last week but they called and said it’ll take a while longer."

"Don’t you think it’s weird?" Jason asked.

Tim was currently cutting out a Robin picture he had from a magazine. He’d use his own pictures which were in his and Jason’s opinion way better but he didn’t want people to ask him where he got those pictures from.

"No," Tim said. "I’m used to it."

"You shouldn’t be."

Tim looked at Jason. "What about you?" He regretted the words as soon as they came out and quickly looked down again, placing the now cut out of Robin on the collage next to the other pictures of the two heroes.

Jason breathed in. "I’m just saying. I thought… people like you had it good. Perfect family with mommy and daddy and trips to the Zoo or something like that."

Tim blinked. "I don’t have it bad," he said. He still had his parents, he knew he was lucky to have them and a roof over his head. And even if his parents were never home, they loved Tim. They didn’t say it but at least they didn’t forget him and brought him presents every time they came home. It was more than most people could ask for. He was sure Jason couldn’t.

"You’re nine, someone should actually lock you up so you can’t sneak out in the night."

"You’re still a child too."

"Yeah, but it’s different for me." Jason glued on a Batman Symbol in the middle of the collage.

"How?"

Jason shrugged. "It’s just how it’s like for kids like me. I matured and graduated from the Streets of Gotham." He looked up and flashed Tim a smile but Tim could tell it wasn’t a sincere one.

"It shouldn’t be that way," Tim said quietly and Jason’s smile dropped.

"Yeah, you’re right, Timmy."

They continued to work on the collage in silence. Tim was the one who broke it. "We could go to the Zoo together," he suggested.

Jason chuckled. "You want to go to the Zoo?"

"I’ve never been. Have you?"

Jason shook his head. "I can’t."

"Why not?"

"Don’t have the money."

Tim rubbed some glue he got on his fingers on his shirt. "I do."

"I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I already eat all your food."

"I have enough. And it’s not my money."

Jason smiled. "You’re right."

* * *

 

 

Since both of them were children, they got a children’s discount. They were also asked for their parents but Jason declared he was old enough to look after the two of them. Tim wanted to say he was too but he knew adults didn’t believe him anyway.

He was just nine years old after all and even shorter than most kids his age. Even if Tim thought he was mature, nobody else will think so. He probably wasn’t. He knew he was despite all just a kid.

"What do you want to see first?" Jason asked. Tim smiled and took out a map of the Zoo he had printed out yesterday. He folded it out and held it up so Jason could take a look at it.

"Wow, Tim, you really made a whole plan!"

"Do you not want to?" Tim asked.

"No, that’s cool," Jason said. "Let’s stick to your plan. You even wrote down toilet breaks."

"I didn’t want to miss anything," Tim murmured and Jason laughed. They went to the elephants first and took a lot of pictures. It was the first time, Tim had actually taken pictures of someone that wasn’t Batman or Robin with his camera. Actually the firsts he had taken of Jason too.

Jason smiled brightly and posed for Tim, throwing up peace signs and pretending to be the animals whom they stood in front. At some time, Jason suggested to switch and take pictures of Tim, but he was uneasy and didn’t know what to do or how to pose. He just awkwardly smiled into the camera and Jason rolled his eyes.

He turned to a woman next to him and asked her if she could take a picture of them in front of the lions.

"Of course, dear!" the woman said. Jason walked to Tim and put his arm around him.

"Smile!" Jason shouted and Tim smiled.

* * *

 

 

Since it was summer, it got hot very quickly.

Tim wasn’t good with the heat and neither was his skin. He was sure that despite all the sunscreen he had put on, he’ll still get a sunburn later. Unlike Jason, who has gotten a nice tan.

Under the shadow of a tree, they were sitting next to each other on a bench, watching the giraffes and eating ice cream. There was a family of four, typical mother father and two children family. The father was carrying the youngest of the children on his shoulders while the mother was holding the other one’s hand. Tim felt his heart ache watching them but didn’t say anything.

"I’ve never been to the Zoo before," Jason said, "but my mom and I once went Ice skating. It was one of her better days. One of the best days of my life."

"I’ve never gone," Tim said, "isn’t it hard?"

Jason smiled. "Yeah, I fell over a few times but you get the hang of it."

"My parents and I never go to things like that," Tim said.

"Not even when they’re home?"

"We got to galas," Tim explained. A lot of times, he didn’t have to attend them but sometimes he had to. He didn’t like it because his parents usually told him to meddle with the other upper-class children whom he didn’t get along with, or just told him to sit still and smile and let himself be coddled by older women who touched his cheeks and told him he’d one day become a 'handsome lady killer'.

"That sounds really boring," Jason said.

"It is." Tim stared at his strawberry ice cream that was melting because he was eating too slow, some of it dropping past the cone and on his hand. He licked it up quickly. "Actually, we’ve been to the circus before a few years ago. I was four. We never went again."

"Why?"

"Jason… I have something I want to tell you. It’s a secret you can’t tell anyone."

Jason turned his entire body to Tim. "Okay, shoot." Tim turned to Jason too, pulling his legs up on the bench.

"I know who Batman is."

Jason blinked. Once, twice. Then, he laughed. "Wait, really?" Tim nodded. " _How_?"

Tim scooted closer to Jason and whispered in his ear. "It’s Bruce Wayne."

"What?! You want to tell me—"

Tim covered Jason’s mouth with his hand. "Ssh." He dropped his arm. "Yes."

"How do you know?"

"I know. It makes sense. You know Dick Grayson, his son?"

Jason shrugged. "I think I’ve heard he adopted a son. I don’t really care what rich people do."

"That’s Robin. I know because he was from the circus I went to. His parents were very famous," Tim explained. "I even met him. He was very nice and took a picture with me. Later…" His mind drifted off to the night from five years ago. "His parents died that night. I think they were killed… Bruce Wayne adopted him."

"Tim, are you telling me you saw how they died?"

Tim nodded slowly.

"Wow."

"It’s why my family never went somewhere again." The first time they tried something like that and also the last. Tim remembered having nightmares of that night even weeks after the incident. He couldn’t imagine how it was like for Dick.

"But how is that proof that he’s Robin?"

"I never forgot that night," Tim said. "I started watching Batman and Robin and Robin reminded me of someone. Of the boy from the circus. A-And then I watched him do a quadruple somersault, which not many people can do. It could’ve only been him. And if he’s Robin then…"

"Bruce Wayne is Batman," Jason whispered. "Wow. Tim, you’re… a _genius._ How old were you?"

"Seven," Tim replied quietly. Jason seemed impressed, his eyebrows were raised at Tim. Then, the corner of his lips curled up into a smile.

"And where’s he now? Why isn’t he Robin anymore?"

"I think he’s Nightwing now," Tim replied. Jason gasped.

"You’re a real genius. I’m never calling you a kid again." Tim tilted his head in doubt. "Okay, I will. But thank you for telling me."

Tim smiled too. "You’re my friend," he said. "I trust you."

It was the first time, Tim said it out loud. Jason was his friend. His best friend even. And Jason liked Tim, he was sure of it. He wasn’t going to grow tired of Tim like he had feared he will. Because Jason genuinely liked spending his time with Tim and so did Tim.

 

 

 


	4. Let Me In

Tim found his head on Jason’s shoulder when he woke up. He tried not to move too fast since Jason was still asleep and he was also leaning against Tim. They both must have fallen asleep while watching a movie.

Tim glanced at the clock, it was already past midnight. He moved carefully away from Jason which only resulted in Jason’s body slumping against Tim’s. He was heavy but it wasn’t too bad.

Tim studied the other boy’s face. He had a bruise on his cheek but Tim didn’t ask where it came from. He really wanted to because Jason was his best friend and he was worried. Every time Jason came in with a new bruise or smelled like smoke, Tim’s heart ached. He wanted to help Jason and be there for him because Jason was always there for Tim. He was the first friend Tim ever had and he listened to Tim. Even though Tim used to be so awkward at first and used to give half-assed replies unless Jason poked around more, Jason listened to him.

And Tim opened up to him. It felt nice, having someone listen to him even if it was about something stupid. Lately, his newest hobby was teaching himself how to code. It was fun too, something Tim really enjoyed. HTML was easy and Tim got the hang of it pretty quickly, CSS and Java were what he was working on at the moment.

Jason had picked up a new hobby too that fit right in with Tim’s. He liked to cook and the two printed out recipes that looked simple but delicious which Jason could try later. While he cooked, Tim sat on the counter and talked about coding. Jason didn’t understand what Tim was talking about but Tim learned that talking to someone about the thing you’re studying really helped you understand it better.

There were some burns on Jason’s hand he got while trying to cook but Tim didn’t mind those bruises as much because he knew Jason liked cooking. He was always happy when Tim ate his meal (claimed Tim had to eat more too because he was so small) and whenever they went grocery shopping, Jason was always excited and thinking about meals he could cook.

Mrs. O’Reilly didn’t mind that Tim did his grocery shopping on his own. She had been worried at first and called his parents but Tim’s mother assured that it was a good idea and would teach Tim how to be responsible. She didn’t know Tim had Jason with him to help him carry the groceries but she didn’t have to know.

Suddenly, Jason shifted. "Timmy?" he asked with a strained voice. Jason’s hair was all messy, standing up from his head.

"Tim," Tim corrected him but he smiled.

"What time is it?"

"A bit after midnight."

"Shit. Batman."

"It’s okay," Tim said. "I’m tired too."

Jason didn’t even move away from Tim, he just stayed there. "I need to go home."

"You could also stay here," Tim offered. "We have a lot of guest rooms."

"But—"

"Mrs. O’Reilly won’t be here tomorrow," Tim said. Jason didn’t say anything for a while.

"Okay," he said. The two boys got up and walked upstairs. Jason was still sleepy and it was kind of funny to see him like this, trailing after Tim with half opened eyes. Tim opened the door to one of the guest rooms and tugged Jason gently into bed.

"Good night, Jason," he said before he left to his own room. It felt weirdly cold and alone in his bed but knowing he’d wake up and Jason would still be there made him fall asleep faster.

 

* * *

 

When Tim woke up and went downstairs, Jason was standing at the stove and making pancakes.

"I think I figured out how to do them," Jason announced.

Tim rubbed his eyes. Jason was wearing his clothes from yesterday. "I forgot to give you clothes," Tim remembered.

"It’s fine. I don’t think any of yours fit me anyway," Jason said and Tim pouted. He sat down on the table and watched Jason from his back. Soon, the older boy turned around and placed a plate with pancakes on the table with a proud smile.

"I think these are the best pancakes I’ve made so far," he said. "I didn’t even burn myself!" He held up his hand and wiggled with his fingers which made Tim giggle.

"They look good, Jay."

"Jay?"

Tim blushed. "Uh…"

"It’s cool. I like it."

They spent the morning eating the pancakes in silence. They really were good and only two of them were burned which was an improvement.

"I need to go back to my place," Jason said. "Do you… do you want to come with me?"

Tim looked up at Jason with big eyes. "You want me to come with you?"

Jason shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. Unless you don’t want to."

"I do!" Tim shouted. He had always imagined what kind of place Jason was living at.

"Can I use the shower here? I hate mine."

Tim nodded. "I can try to see if I have clothes that fit you." His parents actually bought a range of clothes in different sizes once, probably didn’t want to bother to go out shopping for him every time he grew. Which wasn’t a problem anyway, at this point Tim was sure he would stay as short like this forever.

 

* * *

 

They decided not to drive but walked.

Tim was nervous throughout the entire walk. Were Jason’s parents home? What were they like? He had never mentioned his father so Tim wasn’t sure if he was even still around. He looked over to Jason. He looked casual to anyone else but Tim could see he was tense.

Tim was still happy Jason finally brought him home and allowed Tim to see part of his life. He finally trusted Tim!

"Jay?" Tim asked.

"Hm?"

"Am I… are we— are we best friends?"

Jason stopped mid-walk and looked down at Tim. "Why do you think I hang out with a small kid like you every day?"

Tim shrugged. "I dunno. You probably have other friends."

Jason laughed. "I do. I can introduce them to you someday." Tim’s shoulders slouched in disappointment. Of course, Jason had other friends. Jason wasn’t as awkward like Tim and he was big and— "But you’re my best friend."

"Really?"

"Yeah, of course. And my other friends aren’t my age anyway."

Tim furrowed his brows in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"We’re here." Jason stopped in front of a building. It looked run down but this was Crime Alley after all. They went in and Jason got more nervous the more steps they took.

Jason took out his keys and opened the door to his apartment. It was very tiny, there was barely anything in it. A one-room apartment, Tim had heard them and seen them on TV but he had never been in one. He was remembered how different his life was to Jason and how privileged he was.

The place was messy, a single mattress, some tires, a few posters on the wall and a bookshelf. That was it, there wasn’t anything else there except for a few scattered clothes here and there.

"Come here, Timmy."

Tim didn’t even complain about his nickname when Jason sat down on the mattress and signaled to Tim to sit next to him. He quietly sat down.

"Where are your parents?" Tim asked.

"My mother’s dead," Jason said. His gaze went to the bookshelf on which was a frame with the picture of a woman. Right next to it were two other pictures, one of Batman fighting Killer Croc which Tim had shot on their first night out together, the other one was the both of them together in the Zoo in front of the lion’s cages. "She got… sick."

"Sick?"

"She was a drug addict," Jason explained.

"Your father?"

Jason shrugged. "I haven’t seen him in a long time. Fucker’s probably in jail or something. Or dead in a ditch, I don’t really care. I’m better off without him. I’d be happy if he was dead."

Something in Tim broke. He teared up.

"Hey, Timmy. Don’t cry."

"I’m sorry."

Jason laughed and put his arm around Tim. He felt so small in Jason’s arms. "Don’t apologize," Jason said. "I’ve lived alone on my own for a while now and I’m doing pretty all right."

"But you’re… you’re just a kid."

"So are you."

"But I have parents. And a nanny." And he had money too. He never had to worry about paying rent or having food. Tim understood now why Jason had to steal so much.

"I’m not alone either," Jason said. "You know my friends I told you about? The prostitutes are really nice, they look out for me. Sometimes, they share their meal with me and I do with them too when I’m lucky and have some money. And the landlord’s a piece of shit but his wife is nice. Helen… She knows my dad’s gone but she covers for me whenever her husband wants to talk to him about rent."

Tim let out a sob.

"It’s okay." Jason rubbed Tim’s back.

"It’s not. It’s _unfair._ " Tim had so much and Jason had nothing. He wanted to share, he wanted to give Jason everything. He wanted Jason to stay with him forever in the guest bedroom and make it not a _guest_ bedroom, he wanted Jason to wake him up with pancakes every day and he wanted to spend their afternoons in the playroom or in the library.

Tim was even more upset that he was the one crying but he couldn’t stop. He hated it because he felt like he was making this about himself. Jason shouldn’t be the one consoling Tim.

"Life’s a bitch," Jason said. "It’s okay. I like it here."

"What about… an orphanage? Why haven’t the authorities found you?"

Jason’s expression darkened. "They better not, I’d run away from them anyway. Orphanages suck, Tim. I don’t wanna live in some foster family or orphanage and be someone’s pet charity case. This is Gotham. You can’t trust anyone here."

"I trust you."

Jason smiled. "Yeah, I trust you too."

Tim wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. "Thank you for telling me."

"You told me too," Jason said.

"Your mom… how was she?"

"Besides being high all the time?" Jason’s expression softened. "Whenever she wasn’t… she was nice. Those times were good. She had a very beautiful singing voice. There was a song she always sang…"

"What was it?"

Jason scratched the back of his head. "Uh…" He cleared his throat and began to sing. It was a nice song and Jason had a nice voice too. Tim was sure he’d sound like a dying giraffe if he tried to sing.

"It’s a beautiful song."

Jason smiled. "It is."

 

* * *

 

That night, they watched Batman again.

They were on a rooftop of a building, watching down on Batman who swooped in on a drunk woman being harassed and groped by two men. It had been scary to watch and Tim grabbed on Jason’s arm but it didn’t take long until Batman turned up. Immediately, Tim relaxed but he didn’t let go of Jason.

He tensed again when he noticed how angry Batman was. There was a rage in him and his voice, he was more aggressive than Tim was used to. He didn’t even dare to pick up his camera to take a picture when the faces of the men Batman was beating up were covered in blood.

Batman finally let go of the man and turned to the woman who was screaming and running away from him. Just a little bit later, Batman was gone too, police sirens already approaching.

"That was intense," Jason said.

Tim nodded. "Yeah," he murmured. "It was really…"

"Scary?" Tim didn’t want to admit it. "It’s okay if you found it scary." Jason stroked Tim’s arm.

"I think he’s like this because Dick’s gone," Tim said quietly.

"Why?"

"Batman’s been really aggressive lately. Since Robin left," Tim explained. "Maybe… he needs a Robin." Then, with a stronger voice, he repeated it. "Yes, Batman needs a Robin."

"Why? The Boy Wonder is cool and all and kick ass but Batman can fight on his own. Besides, he got himself in trouble and got caught by the bad guys as a hostage way too many times," Jason said.

Tim shook his head. "Batman needs a Robin to keep him grounded. Look at how he was tonight! That— I’m sure he misses Dick."

"Why don’t you think he let Dick go and fired him?"

Tim shrugged. "If he did, maybe he doesn’t want to admit that he actually wants him back?"

Jason watched him. "Your brain works in a funny way, babybird."

"Babybird?"

Jason shrugged. "All that talk about Robin made me think of you as a bird. Maybe you should be Robin if you’re so sure he needs one."

"I’m _small_ and only nine _._ I can’t be Robin. And I’m not athletic at all." Tim was pretty much the opposite of being athletic. He’d probably go down with one punch and pass out for the rest of the night.

Jason on the other hand… Jason was strong. He was smart too, the kind of street smart that you needed. He knew Gotham well, he was a great thief even if Tim wished he didn’t have to steal, and he had a good heart. He could make a difference, Tim knew it. He already made a big difference in Tim’s life. It had been empty before and now every day was full of life. He was sure Jason could bring color in Bruce’ life and the streets of Gotham too.

There was no one that would be a better fit for Robin than Jason.

He should be Robin.

"You should be Robin," Tim decided. Jason started laughing.

"Tim, you can’t just make someone Robin."

"Why not?"

"What, just because I’m some poor orphan like Dick was I should let Bruce adopt me and become Robin?"

Tim shook his head. "I don’t think he’ll accept a Robin so easily like that. Don’t you agree? You saw him! He needs a Robin. And you… you could make a difference. I’d feel safe."

Jason huffed. "You’re pretty smart, you know? Using that argument. You got me wrapped around your finger."

Tim smiled. "You’ll do it?"

"How?"

Tim thought about it for a while. "We could train you. Yeah, we should start to train you and once you become good enough, we’ll go to Bruce Wayne and tell him that he has to accept you as Robin!"

"Tim, I don’t think that’ll work."

"It has to. We’ll be _very_ convincing! You’re already good you just need a bit more training!" Tim said excitedly clapping in his hands. "I’ll be your coach!"

"Nuh-uh. If I have to train so do you."

"Why? _I’m_ not the one who will be Robin."

"You need to be able to fight and defend yourself too!" Then, Jason smirked. "I’ll feel safer."

Tim pouted. He hated it when Jason used his own words against him. "I don’t like sports."

"You have to eat more too."

"Jay!"

"Promise me. We’ll do this together. I won’t do this without you," Jason said and Tim sighed and nodded. Jason held up his pinky and Tim raised his eyebrows at Jason before letting out another sigh and hooking his pinky around Jason’s.

"I promise."

And from that day on, the two of them had a mission.

 


	5. Puzzle

There was no way he could keep up with this.

Tim didn’t even know why Jason insisted on him going through training too. It wasn’t like Tim needed it anyway, he would never be Robin or any other vigilante. He wasn’t cut for it. Of course, it was a nice thing to think about. It was the dream of almost every child. Tim, however, preferred to just sit at the sidelines and watch.

But he had to do this because Jason refused to do it without Tim. And Jason needed to be Robin. Once Tim got the idea to make him Robin, there was no turning back anymore. He held onto it and believed it with all his heart that Jason would make a good Robin.

"I can’t eat this anymore, Jay," Tim complained.

"Okay." Jason put his fork down. "Me neither."

"You’re unfair."

"I’m already eating half of your portion!"

Tim huffed. "That’s an exa- exaggeration." Jason rolled his eyes.

"You can’t train without eating. Does it not taste good?"

"It does." Jason’s cooking had gotten better and to be honest, even when he burned his food, Tim still liked it because Jason cooked it for him. Tim picked up his fork again and let out a sigh.

"Are you already regretting it?" Jason asked with a smirk on his face. Tim glared at him.

"No. We’re making you Robin."

Jason just shook his head, like he didn’t actually believe it but he played along for Tim. They haven’t even been out to watch Batman often lately, both of them were too tired every day to go out at night after their training regimen.

"I know it sounds crazy," Tim admitted. "And I’m not the best coach… I just read things and don’t even know how to do them myself."

He had worked out a training schedule after a long day researching about how to best get in shape and fight. Jason had helped him too and pointed things out he knew from his own experience.

"No," Jason said. "Don’t worry about it. We’ll be the best superhero duo out there."

" _You_ will be," Tim corrected him and Jason laughed.

"I think you could make a good one too."

Tim scrunched his nose. "Right. I barely last ten minutes when we jog."

"You went from five to ten," Jason said. "That’s an improvement."

Jason was just being nice, he knew it. During those ten minutes they ran around the Drake estate, Jason adjusted his speed with Tim’s so he wouldn’t have to jog alone. Once Tim was too exhausted and fell back on the lawn, Jason would run ten more minutes and pick up his speed.

Tim hated that he was holding Jason back. He also hated the pain that came from training and how his entire body ached and complained. But he was doing this for Jason, for Batman, and for Gotham. It was the right thing to do and Tim believed in his cause. That’s why he kept pushing himself even when his entire body screamed at him to stop pushing his limits.

But above all, Tim had to admit it was kind of fun. It was exhausting and tiring but it was fun. Maybe because he was doing it with Jason and everything he did with Jason was fun.

 

* * *

 

"One more! One more!" Tim shouted.

Jason huffed and did another sit up. His face was red and there were drops of sweat dripping down his forehead already.

"Another set!"

"You got to be fucking kidding me," Jason complained.

"Come on, Jay. Just ten more."

Jason collapsed back and breathed hard. His chest was rising up and down but after a few seconds, Jason groaned and got up again. Tim smiled brightly and pressed his hands on Jason’s feet, holding them in place.

"One… two…"

It took longer but when Jason reached ten, the two of them smiled and high-fived each other. Jason collapsed back on the ground, spreading his arms out.

"I’m done," he said.

Tim got up and brought him a water bottle and a towel. Jason had his eyes closed, didn’t even move at all when Tim sat down next to him.

"We got down one more set than yesterday," Tim said. "You’re improving."

At least, Jason was listening to him because Tim could see one corner of Jason’s mouth curl up. Tim kneeled in front of Jason, took the towel and dabbed down on his forehead.

Jason had really nice long eyelashes, Tim noticed. He also had way thicker hair than Tim and it curled up sometimes, especially on the back of his neck.

"Ten minutes," Jason said. "Give me ten minutes and then it’s your turn."

Tim let out a groan and Jason’s eyes fluttered open. They were a really nice shade of blue, darker than Tim’s but more vibrant. "Yes," he said. "No complaining. We’ll only do thirty."

" _Only_." Tim made a face but he knew he couldn’t complain, not when Jason did way more. "Fine."

Jason got up. "I’m done for today," he said. "No Batman watching."

"Okay, I think that’s for the best," Tim agreed. "We can watch a movie."

Jason shook his head. "No, I have something to do tonight. Gotta pay rent somehow."

Tim wanted to tell him to just move out of that place and move in with Tim forever but he knew he couldn’t. It wasn’t that easy and despite everything, Jason actually liked that place. At least, he claimed he did. Maybe Jason just liked being independent and having a place of his own.

"Okay," Tim said quietly. "We can go to the movies tomorrow if you want."

"The movies?" Jason tilted his head and Tim nodded.

"You know days, where you take a break, are important too. I read about it."

Jason ran his hand through his dark curls. "You sure?"

"Yes. You’ve improved a lot! I’m sure at least…" Tim thought about it for a while. "Maybe October, we can introduce you to Batman."

Jason’s eyes widened. "Isn’t that way too soon?"

"We need to act fast!"

Jason huffed. "I don’t think he’ll make me Robin."

Tim pursed his lips. "We’ll force him."

Jason laughed and shook his head. "How?"

"I mean, if he doesn’t train you, you could threaten him!"

"By telling everyone he’s Bruce Wayne?"

Tim shook his head quickly in horror. "Of course not! Jay! We could… we could design a Robin suit and then send you out! If he doesn’t take you in, then you’ll just go out there alone! Not alone because… I— I’ll be there too! There’s no way Batman would let you out alone on the streets, so he just has to agree to take you in."

Jason laughed. "You wanna make a Robin suit?"

"It can’t be that hard, right?"

* * *

 

 

 

Tim didn’t like spending the night alone without Jason.

Jason slept over a lot of times but whenever Mrs. O’Reilly would come early in the morning, he didn’t.

It felt lonely knowing Jason wasn’t just in the room right down the hallway, sleeping soundlessly. It felt even worse because he didn’t know what Jason was up to tonight. Tim wanted to help him so badly but he didn’t know how.

He turned and tossed around in his bed for a long while after Jason left. At about midnight, Tim gave up falling asleep and went downstairs to the computer room. Spending about three hours more emerging himself in coding and learning a few new things, Tim still didn’t feel tired. The time passed so fast when he was on the computer doing what interested him.

Now that he decided he should call it a day, Tim didn’t know what to do.

He forgot how his life was before Jason. It sounded pretty dull now that he thought about it.

He sighed and went back to his room. On the table were about ten sketches he and Jason did yesterday, designing a perfect Robin suit. It looked pretty much the same as Dick’s because they wanted to stay true to the original. Some designs had long pants though, Tim didn’t want Jason to _freeze._

They wrote down different materials too that they were going to try to find the next days. Tim couldn’t just let Jason run around in some standard fabric! He was sure Batman and Robin’s suit had the best tech and even though Robin’s suit looked so thin, it must have some sort of protection.

Tim thought about Jason wearing the suit and felt a sort of pride swelling in his chest.

Dick Grayson was Robin… no, he used to be Robin. He was Nightwing now. But he was the Robin Tim used to idolize, look up to and dream about. But Jason, he was going to be _Tim’s_ Robin. His best friend, not just an idol. But a hero nonetheless.

Happily, Tim went back into his bed and closed his eyes.

Soon, Jason won’t have to steal anymore either. Soon, he’ll help kids that needed help like Jason and he’ll kick criminals asses and Tim will be there to take pictures of him.

 

 


	6. Uncover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has anyone at this point noticed what I'm naming the chapters after

Jason woke up.

He blinked a few times until he was fully awake. He remembered how he felt the first time he woke up in the Drake Mansion. He got used to it now but he still hadn’t got used to the many blankets and pillows they put on a single bed. Jason had discarded most of them to the other side of the bed because _who needed that much space to sleep anyway._

Jason stretched himself as he got up. His body ached from the training but it had gotten better.

"Jay!"

Tim opened the door with a wide smile. He had lost a tooth just two days ago which he had been pretty embarrassed about because it was one of the more central teeth, making it really damn obvious.

"Hi, Timmy," Jason said and yawned. "Why are you up so early? I usually have to wake you up."

Tim jumped on the bed. Every time Jason saw him, he just thought about how fucking tiny the kid was. Just three years younger than Jason but Jason was sure he wasn’t as small as Tim when he as his age. Even though back then Jason didn’t have much to eat, while the cupboards of this place were always stuffed with all kinds of food and snacks a kid could only dream of.

"I woke up at 6 am and couldn’t sleep anymore," Tim explained.

Jason ran his hand through his face and rubbed his eyes. "Okay, I’ll get up."

"We’re going on a morning jog first."

"Yeah, yeah. Let me get dressed first."

Tim smiled and jumped off the bed again and out of the room. He forgot to close the door behind him but he always did. Jason guessed it was because he was so used to living alone. He got up, closed the door and changed his clothes.

It was so weird, he felt weirdly at home here. It was probably more because Tim was here and less because of the place itself. Jason still thought this place was freaky, way too big and posh and there were a lot of weird paintings on the wall or sculptures. But with Tim, it was home.

 

* * *

 

 

Tim’s face was red and his breathing got heavy but he kept pushing.

"You sure you can still go, babybird?"

Tim huffed. "Yes." He tried to pick up his speed but only after ten seconds gave up again. Jason was nowhere near exhausted because Tim’s legs were so short.

"It’s just a morning jog," Jason said. "You don’t need to push yourself."

"I wanna go past eleven minutes!"

Jason shrugged. "Okay."

He was glad Tim had improved even just a little bit. The boy was determined, more in making Jason Robin than training himself but he was strong. He remembered seeing him the first time and thinking 'that’s just a kid'. He knew he was one too but Tim…

They shouldn’t have anything in common, they lived in completely different worlds. Tim was a rich boy in a huge mansion with everything a young child could ask for. Except he was always alone. As far as Jason knew, he had no friends except for Jason. Jason didn’t have any other friends his age but at least he had some friends.

And Tim was really shy. He had opened himself up to Jason but every time he talked to someone else, his voice was still quiet and he didn’t say more than was necessary. It bothered Jason because there was a reason he became this way. Probably learned from a young age that nobody really was interested in what he had to say anyway and it made Jason angry.

He was angry at Tim’s parents. They were rich already, why did they have to work any more? Why couldn’t they just spend their time with their child? He was only nine and they left him in this huge ass mansion all by himself, with a nanny only occasionally checking in on him.

Jason was glad they became friends and Tim wasn’t alone anymore. But that of course worked both ways too. Tim made his life better as well.

After their morning run, they both showered and Jason made breakfast. He decided for French toast and Tim sat at the counter. He read the newspaper and for a short moment Jason felt like they were an old married couple and he was the housewife.

He chuckled.

"What?" Tim asked, looking up from the newspaper that he had all folded out and was holding up. It was hiding his entire body.

"Nothing," Jason said and placed a plate in front of Tim. "Got anything new?"

"Nothing good," Tim said and put the newspaper down. "Thank you."

"Of course there’s nothing good. It’s fucking Gotham." Jason sat down next to Tim.

"Jason, I’ve finished the first prototype of the suit today," he said. Sometimes, Jason thought Tim didn’t sound like a normal nine-year-old. "You know when I woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep. It’s not good but…"

Jason nodded. "We can try it on today."

Tim smiled. "Yes!"

 

* * *

 

 

"I feel weird."

"Why?"

"I dunno. It just feels weird."

"Come on, let me see!" Tim shouted from outside.

Jason sighed and looked at himself in the mirror. It was a Robin suit, sure. Looked better than all these costumes the kids were wearing for Halloween too. Tim and he have spent a lot of time on the suit after all and Tim had the money to purchase everything they needed as well.

Since neither of them knew how to actually put together it, it wasn’t perfect at all and they’ve probably spent way more time on it than Batman did on Robin’s. Or whoever made Robin’s suit.

It didn’t look _bad._ But it made Jason nervous. There was a little boy outside the door who was 100% convinced Jason would make a perfect Robin. He was so sure of it that he didn’t even think about the option where Bruce Wayne would probably just laugh in Jason’s face. He wasn’t really a fan of adults, especially not rich adults. And men. Jason never had a good experience with men before, starting with his father that was still missing.

"Jay!"

"Be a little bit patient!" Jason took a deep breath. What if Tim was disappointed? He wasn’t Dick Grayson, the original Robin. Jason didn’t look like him at all except for maybe the black hair. He was nowhere near him and Jason didn’t want to disappoint Tim. "Okay, I’m coming."

He walked to the door and opened it. Tim gasped and his eyes widened.

"It looks stupid?"

"No, it looks cool!" Tim shrieked. "I knew you’d make a great Robin!"

Jason smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah! How does it feel?"

Jason got more confident, put his fists against his hips and raised his chin a bit. "Good. Hella strong too! I feel like I could take on a bunch of criminals and fuck them up!"

"I don’t think Robin swears," Tim said.

"Yeah, well, this one does," Jason said and Tim didn’t say anything. He just smiled at Jason with big eyes. His smile was so bright, it was like Tim was glowing at Jason. _His own little sun._ "Okay, okay. I’ll get out of it now."

Tim pouted.

"I’ll keep the cape on," Jason offered.

"Right! We should train with the cape on!"

A few minutes later, they were on the yard with Jason wearing his usual clothes. Just some shorts, an old T-Shirt and of course the bright yellow cape.

They tried out all kind of things with it. Jason did a cartwheel and slipped on it but it didn’t hurt much. Just another bruise that joined all the other ones he had gotten from all the training and exercise they’ve done the last few weeks.

At some point, they climbed up a tree.

"You think you can do it?" Tim asked, sitting next to Jason among the many branches.

"Fuck yeah. I’m Robin." Jason grinned. "And if I fall down on the ground, I’ll just get up again. It’s not that high anyway."

"Okay."

Jason looked down. He had jumped from a higher distance before but that hurt like a bitch too. He took a deep breath before he pushed himself off and jumped down. Of course, he didn’t land in the grace as Batman and Robin did but at least he managed to roll himself off and not scrape his knee.

Still hurt. "Fuck!"

"Jay, are you okay?" Tim asked, still from the tree.

"Yeah!" Jason got up and brushed over his clothes quickly. "I’m fine. Come down."

"Okay."

"No, I mean come down! Don’t jump!"

Too late. Tim already jumped down.

"Tim!" A female voice shouted from behind them. Tim landed with a loud scream and before Jason could do anything, a woman rushed past him and towards Tim.

"Tim!" Another man followed and Jason didn’t know what to do. He just watched as these two adults surrounded Tim and helped him up. Jason felt so helpless, just standing there.

"Are you okay, Tim?" the man asked.

Tim nodded and rubbed his eyes. "Yes, I’m fine."

"That was _really_ stupid and thoughtless of you. I thought we taught you better!" the woman scolded Tim angrily.

"I’m sorry, mom," Tim said quietly. He looked down on his feet and this remembered Jason of the first time he met Tim. Scared, quiet, making himself smaller than he already was.

_Mom._

This was Tim’s mother, those were his parents. The woman claimed to have taught Tim better was _scolding_ him instead of being worried. How could she have taught Tim better when she was never home? Neither her nor her husband! Jason wanted to shout at them and be angry but then he spotted the blood on Tim’s knee. It was even dripping down his legs, the red contrasting hard against Tim’s pale skin.

"Tim! Your knee!" he shouted.

The woman gasped. "See, now you got yourself injured too." She sighed and shook her head. "I can’t believe this. You could’ve seriously injured yourself. Why did you think jumping off a tree was a good idea? I thought you’re smart."

Tim’s hands were clutching on the hem of his shirt. "I’m sorry," he apologized again, his voice so small and strained it broke Jason’s heart.

"Does it hurt?" Jason asked. He took a step towards Tim. He never wanted to see Tim get hurt. Yes, they did all kind of dangerous things like climbing up rooftops to watch Batman during the night but… Seeing Tim actually being hurt was another thing. 

"Does it _hurt_? Who are you?" The man asked. Mr. Drake.

"I’m Jason," Jason introduced himself. "I’m his friend."

Mrs. Drake finally turned and faced Jason. He could see that Tim looked a lot like her. She was pretty with a small face, the same features as Tim. He even inherited the bright blue eyes from her. But Jason didn’t like her. Her expression was cold and nowhere near as soft and kind as Tim’s. Her brown hair was perfectly styled into soft curls, and everything about her screamed upper class.

If Jason met her on the streets in Crime Alley, he would’ve probably robbed her. She gave Jason a look over, disapproval written clearly on her face.

"Jason? I’m sure you’re the reason my son jumped off the tree."

"What? No—"

"Are you saying he’s so stupid and jumped off himself? I know my Timothy. He would never do such a thing unless someone pressured him to." She narrowed her light blue eyes. "I want you to leave."

"No, it wasn’t Jason’s fault!" Tim spoke up.

"Tim, be quiet. Jack, would you bring him inside and treat his wound? We don’t want him to get an infection." She didn’t even look at them. Her husband took Tim’s hand but Tim let him go.

"Mom, it’s not Jason’s fault. I just…"

"Jumped out of your own will?" She laughed. "If he didn’t tell you to do it directly, he is still a bad influence on you. Look at him, Timothy. You can find better friends that don’t look like… _that._ "

Jason had already hated Tim’s parents before. But now that he finally met them, he hated them even more. Anger washed over him and he tried his best to hold himself back. His hands were already balled into fists, his eyes glaring at her. The way she looked at her, Jason knew exactly what she thought of him.

He was a kid of the streets, a street rat. He had bruises over his legs, a band-aid on his finger because he burned himself again cooking for them yesterday, he was wearing his own clothes, run down and dirty. She saw Jason as lesser, someone below them.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" There was a heat boiling inside Jason.

"Oh, dear, his _language_."

Jack shook his head. "Tim, we should go inside now."

"No—"

"Jason, just leave. And never come back. I hope you haven’t _stolen_ anything."

"Fuck you!" Jason shouted. "What the fuck do you know about me? You don’t know me! You want me to go? Fine, I’ll go!" He ran away.

Jason stormed upstairs to the guest bedroom and grabbed his stuff, quickly throwing them into his backpack before running downstairs again.

Tim was standing there already. "Jason—"

"Your parents are really assholes," Jason said. Tim didn’t say anything, he just stared at Jason. "What? You’re not going to say anything?"

"They’re still my parents," Tim said quietly.

Great. Not even _Tim_ was on his side. He should’ve known better to not hang out with a rich kid because at the end of the day, he still stayed a privileged child with a silver spoon. "Fuck you, Tim," Jason snapped at him. "Fuck you and your parents. I’m _done_ with you. You’re just like every other stupid rich child."

He slammed the door of the mansion hard enough he was sure he heard one of the paintings in the hallway fall down and scatter. Jason didn’t care, he just ran away and didn’t look back.

 

 

 

 


	7. Egoist

After Jason hit some things back in his place, he calmed down.

Jason fell backward on the mattress and stared at the ceiling.

 _They’re my parents._ Jason knew better than anyone about having asshole parents. His father was a piece of shit. Jason had always wished he could’ve been strong enough to beat his head in. His mother, on the other hand… She wasn’t a perfect mother. But she had her good moments. Other people judged her as a mother and said she was bad, some even said horrible, but Jason would disagree. She tried her best…

He thought about the good times they had together. Jason held onto them as best as he could, afraid he could maybe one day forget them. Catherine Todd was a good mother when she wasn’t high in the living room, getting off of drugs to probably get away from all this. Even from Jason, who she often didn’t respond to when he tried to talk to her in that state.

Maybe Jason understood Tim.

His parents weren’t always assholes. They weren’t like that piece of shit that was Jason’s father. They didn’t hit Tim, not like Jason’s father did. They didn’t lash out on Tim, called him a piece of shit to his face and threw him out when he was in a bad mood with nothing to eat. When Tim’s parents came home, they had presents for him. They reminded him to do well in school and called him once a week. They hired a nanny to look after him, they made sure he had everything he needed. It didn’t make them good parents but as a child, it made it hard to hate them.

Of course, Tim wouldn’t. He was a child that wanted nothing more than love from his parents.

Jason felt like an asshole after thinking about it for a long time and groaned. He had to apologize to Tim. He was sure, he was devastated right now.

Why were his parents even back? Weren’t they suppose to be back in a week? It didn’t matter anymore. Just because his parents thought Jason was a bad influence on him, didn’t mean Jason would stay away from Tim.

First of all, he didn’t listen to adults. Second of all, he knew he was a good influence on Tim. He was open, spent more time outside and finally ate more, he wasn’t that fucking pale anymore either. He looked healthier and smiled more. There was no way Jason was _bad_ for Tim when he made him happy. And Jason needed Tim too, he missed him already and felt like shit after their fight.

Jason wondered if Tim would wait for him at the fire escape that was their meeting spot this night.

There was only one way to find out.

 

* * *

 

 

Jason actually stopped smoking.

He never smoked in front of Tim anyway. He wasn’t an asshole that smoked in front of people that didn’t like it, he knew how that was like. He had noticed the look in Tim’s eyes whenever he came over and smelled like smoke. Jason didn’t stop completely at first.

But once the two of them decided to make Jason Robin, he stopped completely. Jason was still unsure what to think about the whole Robin plan but whenever he saw Tim so excited and happy, Jason was into it as well. He wanted to be a hero for Tim and he wanted to improve and become stronger in order to protect him.

Even though he can’t protect Tim from his own parents.

He never felt like this towards anyone else before but Jason felt like it’s just the way Tim was that made Jason want to protect him.

Jason stared at the pack of cigarettes in his hands. He really wanted a smoke right now but that was out of the question. He should throw it away so he won’t give in, but that seemed like a waste.

"Jason!" Helen, the landlord’s wife walked past him. She gave him a warm smile. "What are you doing here so late at night?"

It was a stupid question. She knew he went out at night a lot of times, whether it was to steal or do other things. "You smoke, right?" he asked.

"Yes?"

He gave her his pack of cigarettes. "I don’t need them anymore."

Her expression softened. "I’m glad you stopped," she said. "You’re too young for such things."

Jason just shrugged. He didn’t need her to tell him that, he knew smoking was bad but at that time it felt like the only thing that could’ve kept him from stop lashing out and falling down. When his mother died and his father was nowhere to be found… And now it was Tim.

Tim, his own personal little sun. A little sun that wasn’t shining brightly at all, almost not at all when they first met but was slowly burning brighter and brighter just for Jason. There was no way Jason could let him go.

"Right," he said. "I have to go now."

She smiled at him. "Okay. Don’t be out too late."

Jason flashed her a big smile. "You know I will!"

 

* * *

 

 

Tim was there.

He was there at their usual spot on the fire escape. He was wearing long jeans so Jason couldn’t tell how bad his injury on the knee was from before.

Thinking about this afternoon made Jason feel bad again. He wasn’t able to protect Tim and catch him when he jumped. How was he supposed to be Robin?

But that was another problem to think about right now. Right now, Jason had to think about what to say to Tim. The younger boy was sitting there with his huge camera dangling in front of his stomach, his Batman backpack right next to it. Jason knew what was inside.

Warm tea and sandwiches. They’ve prepared that before their nightly adventures together many times.

Jason smiled when he spotted Tim and even waved his hand. Tim didn’t even notice him. Jason wondered if Tim had cried today. He was too far away to be able to look at his face.

Jason came closer and was about to shout out Tim’s name when someone approached Tim. Jason could see from the distance who it was. The purple suit, the green and white skin would’ve given Joker away from a mile away.

Jason ran towards them. "Tim!" he shouted.

They didn’t hear him.

Jason saw red. He ran as fast as he could towards them, shouting on top of his lungs.

"Who’s that? A little friend of yours?" Joker asked.

"Leave him the fuck alone, you psycho!" Jason shouted. Joker just laughed loudly.

"Jason, no!" Tim shouted. "Run!"

Jason didn’t run. He jumped off and caught the ladder of the fire escape, pulling himself up. "Don’t worry, Tim, I’ll come!"

"No, no. I only need one of you tonight. For my little game with the Batsy!" Joker giggle to himself. Jason climbed up.

"Jason!" Tim shouted. Then, he hit the Joker. Damn, the kid got guts to actually punch the Joker with his elbow to the stomach. Joker let out a choked sound, then glared at Tim with still a smile on his face.

"Kids these days don’t know how to behave, do they? Don’t worry! I’ll make you!" He yanked Tim by his arm and— Tim’s camera fell to the ground, shattered. The camera that mattered so much to Tim.

Jason had once talked to Tim about it. It was a present from his parents. It meant so much to him because it meant that his parents had listened to him for once when he had talked about his hobby. It meant they supported his hobby. For Tim, it also meant running away from his boring life in the huge mansion with nothing to do. And for Jason, it meant all those memories he had captured with Tim together on film, watching Batman

"You piece of shit!" Jason screamed. When he was finally on the same level as Tim and Joker, Joker had pulled Tim to him already.

"We can play together some other time," Joker joked.

Jason threw himself against Joker, lunged towards him. But the guy just fell backward, jumped off the fire escape with Tim in his arms and Jason grasped for air.

"Tim!" he shouted and looked down. They were nowhere to be seen.

Fuck. _Fuck._ Joker had Tim and Jason was again so useless. He couldn’t do anything. He hadn’t been able to protect Tim _again._ What kind of Robin was he?! There was no way he could be Robin. Not Tim’s Robin, nor anyone else’s.

Jason turned around and grabbed Tim’s backpack. He opened it and inside was the Robin suit they made together.

Tim believed in Jason. Even if Jason didn’t, Tim did. He believed Jason had all it took to be Robin. Jason took a deep breath and grabbed the keys to Tim’s bike.

 

* * *

 

 

Life in prison would’ve probably awaited Jason if he hadn’t met Tim.

If Tim hadn’t been there when Jason stole Batman’s tires, he probably would’ve been caught by Batman. Sooner or later anyway. And then Batman would’ve sent him to the authorities and he would’ve ended in some fucked up foster family or an orphanage that didn’t actually give a shit about the children in it.

Jason would’ve ended on the streets again in some way or the other. He was good at what he did. Stealing things, breaking into places.

Places such as the Wayne Manor.

Jason was able to climb over the fence and get past the security that surrounded it.

Why the _fuck_ was this property so huge? Even past the gates, there was still a long way to go until Jason actually arrived at the manor. He still wasn’t even used to the Drake’s place but the Wayne one was on another level. Jason had never seen anything like this before except for on pictures and on TV. Bruce Wayne was after all the richest person in Gotham.

Jason hid behind one of the many bushes. He shrugged off his jacket and the clothes, opened the backpack and took out the Robin suit. It had only been a few hours ago when he put it on for the first time but it felt like a lifetime ago.

Jason held his breath when he reached into the backpack to put his other clothes in it after changing his clothes. There was a found a picture. It was one of him and Tim, one they took when they went to the public swimming pool once. Jason had complained about the heat and then suggested they should cool down. Tim had made a face at first but complied and he actually had fun even when Jason teased him for being too short and not being able to reach the bottom of the pool with his feet. Or when he teased Tim for his sunburn.

_Tim._

Jason took the photo and ran towards the manor and rang the bell. Once, twice, thrice. Nobody answered but Jason didn’t care. He hammered against the huge door and shouted until someone opened it.

Some old man in a black suit stood in front of him. He was probably a butler or something like that, it sounded outdated but this was Bruce Wayne. At this point, Jason was just convinced the guy was really fucking crazy.

"I need to talk to Batman," Jason said, breathless from all the running and climbing over the mansion’s gates.

The man blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Don’t fuck with me." Jason stepped inside. "I know Bruce Wayne is Batman. Where is he?"

"Young man, I—"

Jason raised the photo in his hand. He pointed at Tim in the picture who had shyly smiled into the camera and even threw a peace sign up. "This is Tim. He’s my best friend. He was just taken by the Joker. You _have_ to tell Batman to find him."

The butler took the picture in his hand.

"Please! He’s only nine!" _Please._ He was all Jason had at this point. He couldn’t lose Tim, Jason had lost enough already.

"Alfred, what is going on here? Who is this?" a deep voice came from behind Jason.

He turned around and gasped when he saw Bruce Wayne standing in the hallway. "Batman," Jason whispered.

 


	8. Where You At

Jason couldn’t believe he was here.

In the Batcave. He wasn’t even sure the Batcave was an actual thing that existed but Tim had said Batman had to have some place of operation to retreat to and he doubted it would be in the Wayne Manor.

"Way too obvious," Tim had said. "If they suspected him he couldn’t hide it."

Tim had always been so fucking smart. Such a brilliant mind in such a small body. Jason wondered what Tim would say upon being here. He would probably be so excited, jump up and down and forget for a minute that there were people around him. Jason liked it when Tim lost himself like that, forgot that people were watching and that there were norms he had to stick to. The kid always held himself back with everything, he should let loose.

Tim would probably go all fanboy on Batman and the giant dinosaur in it, and the huge ass Computer. Would get his nerdy tiny hands all over it too.

To be fair, Jason would freak out over the Batcave too. The fact that Batman actually had a _cave,_ the weird rich Bruce Wayne really took dressing up as a giant bat to another level. But this wasn’t what’s important right now. He didn’t linger on the dinosaur or the giant coin, or all the vehicles down here, including the Batmobile Jason had almost stolen the tires off once, months ago.

Right now, all that mattered was Tim Drake. Not even Nightwing who was standing right next to Jason.

"Talk." Bruce Wayne— no, Batman. He had changed his clothes and was now wearing his full gear Batman suit.

"We don’t have time for that!" Jason shouted. "Tim’s in trouble! Joker got him!"

"Master Bruce, there are reports of the Joker in Amusement Mile," the butler said. He had introduced himself to Jason but he had barely registered the name. That or anything else that was going on.

"Then let’s go!" Jason jumped towards the Batmobile.

"No, you stay," Batman said.

"No! I’ll go with you!" Jason shouted. "Tim’s my friend! I’m going with you! I can help, I’ve been training!"

Nightwing held him back and Jason punched the guy but of course, he managed to dodge it and hold Jason’s wrist. "Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get your friend, I promise." He had the audacity to _smile_ at Jason.

"Fuck you," Jason spat at him. "I’m not staying here when Tim’s in that freaks hands. Fucking clown."

Nightwing raised his eyebrows and looked to Batman.

"You stay here with him," Batman said.

"Okay."

Jason was tugging and kicking but Nightwing was stronger. Apart from being older and bigger than Jason, he had years of training on the streets and in the circus that gave him a huge advantage over Jason.

Jason shouted and cursed after Batman as he left the Batcave in the Batmobile. When he was gone, Nightwing finally let him go.

"Fuck you!" Jason shouted and kicked him. Nightwing just stepped aside, he let out a sigh.

"I know you’re worried for your friend, but he’ll be okay."

"How do you know? What if that fucking freak got his weird toxins on him?!" Jason shouted. "He _needs_ me! I could calm him down. We don’t know what he’s doing with Tim—"

His voice died and he could feel tears coming up the corner of his eyes. It was Tim, not just any random civilian Joker had in his hands.

"Come, we can watch from the computer." Dick led him to the computer and sat down on it, giving Jason a look. There was nothing to do, so Jason huffed before sitting next to him. "Nice outfit by the way."

Jason glared at him. "Tim and I made it."

"So, you and Tim just… figured out who we were and made a Robin suit."

Jason pursed his lips. "Tim figured it out. He’s really smart," he said. "We— he wanted to make me Robin."

Dick didn’t say anything as his fingers slid over the computer. The screen was split, one half showing Batman and the other the streets of Gotham he was driving past in the mobile. Another click and the screen split into three parts with the third part showing a map. There was a red moving dot which Jason assumed was the Batmobile. And another one which blinked.

"They’re at the Zoo," Dick said.

The Zoo. The place where Tim had first told him about Batman being Bruce Wayne when he finally completely opened himself up to Jason. His heart ached just thinking about that afternoon.

It must’ve been clearly written on Jason’s face because Dick turned to him. "Hey, it’ll be okay."

"How do you know?" Jason asked.

Dick’s lips thinned. "He’s Batman."

"And you’re Robin, you should be with him," Jason said. "You should be out there helping him! Why did you stop being Robin in the first place?"

"It’s complicated," Dick said. "And I like being Nightwing."

"Nightwing, Robin, who cares," Jason said. "Tim was right. Batman needs a Robin and you should be out there helping him get Tim!"

"From the looks of it, you should be Robin."

Jason scoffed. "This?" He tugged on the yellow cape. "I can’t be Robin. Tim wanted me to be but I failed him. He trusted me and I let him be captured by that fucking clown."

Dick leaned back. "I never thought there’d be another Robin. It’s… it’s not just a title to take over," he said. "I quit Robin for my own reasons. But maybe your friend is right."

"He is, but that Robin can’t be me," Jason murmured. "I want to protect him. Even if I’m not able to help anyone else, I just want to help Tim."

Dick smiled at him softly. Then, Batman’s voice broke their moment.

"Nightwing, backup needed."

"Okay." Dick got up.

"You’re leaving _too_?" Jason shouted. "What, am I just supposed to sit around here and twiddle my thumbs?"

Dick looked over to the butler, then back to Jason. "Bruce will kill me but I know you really care for your friend." He let out a sharp breath. "Okay," he said. "You can come with me. But stay put and you have to do what I say."

"I think you will need this, young sir." The butler appeared next to Jason, holding a black domino mask in his hands. Tim and Jason hadn’t been able to figure out how to replicate those. How to make them completely white while not blurring the view of the wearer.

Jason took it in his hands and put it on.

"Let’s go."

* * *

 

 

 

"If you want to help your friend, you have to listen what I say," Nightwing said. Jason nodded.

"Okay."

"First, no names on the field. And second of all, you stay here."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No." Nightwing handed him something small. Jason furrowed his brows as he stared at the tiny thing on his palm. Nightwing tapped on his ear. "Earpiece."

Jason nodded slowly and put it in.

"I’ll go in first. If anything happens outside, let me know. Don’t go anywhere. We’ll get your friend." Nightwing grabbed his batons and ran towards the Zoo, leaving Jason outside at the entrance.

What was there to do? He was just here standing next to Nightwing’s bike while Batman was fighting insane animals. At least, that’s what Jason had caught from Nightwing’s talk with Batman during their ride. Animals that got the Joker’s toxins— what kind of freak do you have to be to hurt animals and children?

Jason grunted and crossed his arms. He stared at the huge sign of the Zoo that had a giraffe drawn on it. Fucking Gotham, not even a Zoo was a family friendly place now. Angrily, Jason kicked the motorbike but that didn’t help at all.

"Hey, Jason, everything’s okay, I got your friend," Nightwing said through the comm. Immediately, Jason stood up straight.

"Is he all right?"

"Yeah."

"I’m coming in!"

"No—"

Jason ignored Dick and just ran into the Zoo. It was weird to be here at night, it looked so different than when he was here with Tim. Jason could hear sounds from the distance, animals mostly, laughter echoing back. Jason ran towards the noise only to find Batman currently fighting against a bunch of wild crazy animals that jumped towards them.

"Robin!" Nightwing shouted.

Jason almost didn’t even react to the codename but then he heard Tim shout for him as well.

"Robin!"

Nightwing jumped off from a food truck in front of Jason. He was holding Tim in his arms who looked even smaller than he usually did. Gently, he placed Tim on the ground.

"Tim!" Jason ran towards him and pulled him into a hug. The smaller boy was shaking and hugged him back just as tightly. He was back, Tim was safe and in his arms. Jason hadn’t failed— not completely.

"I got you. Are you okay?" He pulled back slightly to get a better look at Tim.

His hair was messed up and so were his clothes, his nose was red probably from crying. But overall, he looked like Joker hadn’t been able to mess with him yet. Tim nodded. "Yes."

"Get him to safety," Nightwing said, "I have to help Batman."

"Got you." Jason took Tim’s hand. "Follow me."

They could hear police sirens from the distance. Jason dragged Tim along with him. He was slower than Jason due to his short legs so he had to adjust to Tim’s speed.

Suddenly, a monkey jumped towards them. "Get back!" Jason shouted and immediately pushed Tim behind him, shielding him. Jason let Tim go in order to push the monkey off him. It was high on Joker’s laughing gas and let out a pained sound of laughter, which sounded way too close to that of a human.

"Jay!" Tim shouted.

"Run to the police!" Jason yelled at him. "I got this!" He didn’t as the monkey was basically scratching him everywhere and almost threw him to the ground.

"But—"

"I’m Robin, remember? Please, Tim. I got this."

Tim stared at him before he ran off.

"Nightwing!" Jason shouted through the comm. "There’s some fucking monkey attacking me! How the fuck do I get it to—" Jason fell backward on the ground, struggling. He really didn’t want to fight animals but it left him no choice. Jason kicked it, lounging the monkey a few feet away from Jason. He never expected his first fight as Robin to be with a fucking monkey.

"I’m on my way," Nightwing replied. "Hold on a little longer."

"I don’t have a fucking choice, do I?"

A little bit later, when Nightwing appeared, Jason had been able to knock the monkey to the ground and wrapped it in his cape.

"Wow," Nightwing said.

"The cape’s useful for something after all," Jason replied, tightening his grip on the damn animal that was kicking and struggling beneath him.

"Here." Nightwing threw something towards Jason and he held out his arm to catch it. It was a syringe. "It’s an antidote."

Jason hated needles because he’s seen his mother with them way too often. He made a face but stabbed it into the monkey. At first, it still laughed hysterically before his body went limp under Jason’s hand and his laughter died down.

"Is it going to be okay?"

"Yes," Nightwing said and offered Jason his hand. Jason eyed it suspiciously before grabbing it and helping himself get pulled up by him. "All the animals will be, don’t worry."

The police ran towards them and Jason scoffed. "Fucking late. Hate cops."

"Hey," Dick scolded him. "They’re doing their best."

Jason raised his eyebrows at him.

"What’s going on?" a man asked them. Jason had seen the guy on TV often enough to know who he was, Commissioner Jim Gordon.

"We handled it," Nightwing replied. "Joker went out again, used his laughing gas on the animals."

Gordon made a face. "I shouldn’t be surprised he’s so sick, even to animals." Then, his eyes went down to Jason. "Robin’s back? Huh, you’re smaller."

Jason wanted to say something but Nightwing pushed Jason gently behind him. "How’s the boy?"

"He’s okay," Jim said. "Traumatized probably. We called his parents already and will drop him off."

His parents. Jason thought about Jack and Janet Drake and how they shouldn’t even be allowed to be called Tim’s parents.

"Commissioner Gordon."

"Jesus Christ, fuck!" Jason shouted, startled by Batman who suddenly just appeared behind him out of nowhere. Nightwing laughed.

"You should get used to this if you’re going to be Robin," he said.

 _Robin_. He still wasn’t used to the fact that he just fought with Batman and Nightwing in a Robin suit.

Batman looked at Jason. "You’re wounded."

Jason hadn’t even noticed how he was bleeding from a few of the monkey’s scratches. He shrugged. "Monkeys are my least favorite animals now."

"Where’s Joker?" Gordon asked. Bruce and he talked for a bit while Nightwing gestured Jason to follow him.

"What’s going to happen now?" Jason asked as they both walked towards the exit.

"We’re going back to the Batcave and A’s going to patch you up," Nightwing explained. "And then… I guess we’ll have a lot of talking to do."

"A?"

"Alfred."

Jason went quiet for a while. "Did I… did I do good today?"

Nightwing was surprised at the question. He let out a sigh and then smiled. "Yeah, you did."

 

" 


	9. I'll be there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We hit 20k words! This fic is going to be longer than I expected. And they're _still_ babies...

It’s been a week since the incident.

His parents had stayed with Tim longer than usual. They claimed, they’ll stay with him for a long time now but Tim had heard them talk about going on a trip next month again. It was still more than Tim could ask for, he was used to not seeing them.

And for the first time, Tim wasn’t disappointed and sad to hear it. He actually wanted to go out and meet Jason again.

After what happened, his parents basically didn’t leave him out of the house. His mother had pulled him into a hug and stroked his head, something Tim hadn’t have her do in a long time, whispering how glad she was that he was okay, while at the same time telling him he was reckless.

Tim basically was grounded. It was the first time in his life he was grounded.

He wondered what Jason was doing. Jason, who had been there and saved him as Robin. He wasn’t just _like_ a hero, he _was_ a hero. Seeing him that night had confirmed that he was a good candidate to be Robin.

Tim watched the news but there was no sign of Robin on the streets anymore. But there was no way this could just be a one-time thing, Batman wouldn’t just let him run around freely if he knew his secret identity. Tim was worried for Jason and also really, really bored.

It was boring to be all alone again. He got a new nanny too since Mrs. O’Reilly was fired. His parents claimed that it must’ve been her fault for him turning out to be so reckless and befriending someone like Jason.

Whenever Tim was in the playroom, there was nothing to do. All his games weren’t fun anymore without Jason. He had done all his homework already too, every book was boring as well, and he had no new pictures to develop. Tim only now realized how dull and boring his life was before Jason. He missed him so much and wondered when he’d meet him again.

He actually couldn’t wait for his parents to leave again, so Tim could sneak out and meet Jason in Crime Alley.

After a week, his parents decided it was okay again to leave Tim alone. They went out for a business dinner. His father told him to not go outside and lock all doors, not let anyone in either before they left. What was he going to do anyway?

Tim’s day was spent a lot of times in front of the computer. At least, his coding skills improved during the most boring week of his life.

At 8 pm, someone rang the bell. He knew he shouldn’t let anyone inside but what if it was Jason?

Tim carefully walked to the front door.

"Hey, Timmy, it’s Jason."

Tim smiled and opened the door. "It’s Tim," he corrected and was confronted with Bruce Wayne standing in front of the door. He was huge, as Batman and Bruce Wayne and Tim had to put his head in the back to see him completely.

"Hello, Tim," Bruce greeted him.

Before Tim could muster an answer, Jason jumped towards him and hugged him.

"Jay!" Tim laughed and hugged him back just as tightly. He missed Jason and the smell of his best friend too. He smelled different now, there was a light floral scent but underneath was still the familiar scent he knew of Jason.

"Are your parents home?" Bruce asked him.

Tim shook his head. "They’re at a business dinner." Bruce hesitated and Tim stared down on the ground. He was intimidating even outside the suit. Then again, Tim was bad with adults in general. He still was excited though. That was _Batman_. "You can come inside."

The two walked in and Tim closed the door behind them.

Batman was in his home. Batman!

"I suppose we should have a talk," Bruce said.

Tim nodded and looked at him with big eyes. He led them to the living room where Jason and Bruce sat on the couch. "Do you… do you want something to drink?" His voice was so quiet and he tried his best to not swallow the syllables and stutter.

"No, thank you." Bruce gave him a smile. "Would you sit down?"

Tim swallowed hard and sat down on an armchair. His fingers clutched to the edge of it, digging into the cushion. He couldn’t look at Bruce, didn’t dare, so instead his eyes went to his feet. He realized he was wearing Batman socks which were really embarrassing, so he tried to hide them by pulling his legs up. It didn’t help.

"So…" Bruce cleared his throat. "Jason didn’t tell me everything."

"I wanted you to be the one to do it," Jason explained.

"Yes. He told me you figured out who we were when you were only seven."

Tim shrugged. He made it sound so impressive but it wasn’t. "It’s no big deal."

Jason laughed. "Come on, babybird. You managed to find out who the man behind the mask it while the rest of the world is trying hard to uncover the secret!"

"Yes, it is really impressive," Bruce said. "How?"

Tim looked up. First at Jason, then to Bruce. He swallowed, bracing himself, and told the entire story from the beginning. Once he was finished, he looked away again.

"You saw Dick’s parents die," Bruce said and inhaled. "That must have been hard."

Tim didn’t know what to say. What was he supposed to say? Yes? That he had nightmares weeks after it and sometimes even now? How his parents had sent him to a therapist for two months?

"You take pictures?" Tim nodded. "Can I see them?"

Tim hesitated but got up. Bruce and Jason followed him as he let them to the dark room. On the wall were a bunch of pictures of Batman and Robin, glowing in the red hue of the room’s lightning.

"Your parents…"

"They don’t go inside," Tim said. "I lock the door. I won’t tell anyone you’re Batman, I swear."

Bruce took a picture from the wall. It was one of the first Tim had ever taken, a bit blurry but you could clearly see Batman and Robin.

"Seriously, Bruce. He says the truth. Tim won’t tell anyone," Jason said.

"He told _you_."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tim shouldn’t be surprised Jason even swore in front of Batman. "I trust him. Tim’s smart, he’s been carrying around this secret for years!"

Bruce sighed and put the picture back on the wall. "He’s only nine years old," Bruce replied and turned to Tim. "This is a very dangerous hobby."

Tim played with the hem of his shirt. "I’m careful."

"Just like last week?"

Tim winced.

"Stop being an asshole, Bruce," Jason said. "Leave him alone."

"I don’t know what to think about this," Bruce admitted. "You’re only a child and your parents are gone."

"So what? We just push him away? I told you how he’s always alone! We can’t leave him here!" Jason shouted. "He’s my… my best friend."

Tim wanted to cry. Jason cared so much for him, it overwhelmed Tim. He had never had anyone stick up to him so much. "You’re not mad at me?" he asked quietly.

"Why the hell should I be angry at you?" Jason asked, bewildered.

"We fought."

"Oh, right. No, I was the asshole," Jason replied. Tim smiled and wanted to protest but Bruce interrupted them.

"I have to go, duty calls. Tim, I don’t want you to do this anymore, take pictures," he said. "It’s dangerous out there. Jason, you can stay here. Alfred will pick you up later."

The two of them walked Bruce to the door and as soon as the door fell closed and Bruce was gone, Jason let out a deep breath.

"This week was crazy. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to visit you."

"It’s okay," Tim said. It really was. Because Jason was here now and he wasn’t angry at Tim, it was all that mattered.

"He’s a real pain in the ass," Jason informed Tim and walked to the kitchen. Tim sat down at the table while Jason made himself a sandwich. It felt just like the last week hadn’t happened and they were the two boys that were all alone in the huge mansion again, doing whatever they wanted to do.

"What happened?" Tim asked.

"Right, I never told you." Jason sighed and told his side of the story. How after Joker had taken Tim, he had taken Tim’s bike and run off to the Wayne Manor in the Robin suit they made and knocked on his door, demanded to talk to Batman, was led to the Batcave— they really had a _cave!_ — and then followed Batman to the Zoo with Nightwing.

"Wow."

Jason smiled. "I know right?"

"And then?"

Jason handed Tim one half of the sandwich which Tim took. He just remembered now that he hadn’t had dinner yet.

"Went back to the Batcave. Long discussion. Batman’s really uptight," Jason said. "Nightwing— I mean Dick. He’s kind of. I don’t know."

"What does that mean?"

Jason shrugged. "It feels like he doesn’t want me to be _Robin_ and yet he defends me in front of Bruce. I don’t know. Alfred’s cool though."

"Alfred?"

"The Butler." Oh.

"He calls me _Master Jason_. Weird as fuck, right?" Jason smiled and Tim couldn’t help but smile too. "Anyway, I sleep over at their place. You know your place is…" Jason raised his eyebrows and gestured around, "fucking big already but Wayne Manor? That takes it to another level. Rich people are wild. It was so weird to sleep at the place, really scary too. Looks like the kind of place that is haunted in movies."

Tim giggled. He had been to the Wayne Manor once and he knew exactly what Jason was talking of.

"Next day… we went to my place. And Bruce was really not amused by what he saw." Jason sighed.

"What happened?" Tim asked.

"You got some peanut butter here." Jason wiped the corner of Tim’s mouth with his thumb. "Uh, he asked me all about my parents. Did some digging and turns out my dad is missing. Did shady shit, worked for Two-Face. Probably dead."

"Jason—"

"It’s okay. Nobody will miss that piece of shit anyway."

Tim knew Jason hated his father but he thought he’d be sad upon finding out he was dead too. He had no parents while Tim… He felt bad immediately. He knew it wasn’t his fault he grew up so much more fortunate than Jason but he still felt guilty like he didn’t deserve it.

"So, Bruce tells me I should live with him now. And it’s really weird there. And uh, he wants to adopt me."

"What?" Tim gasped.

Jason scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, got adoption papers and all. I’m going to be Jason Peter Todd-Wayne soon. Sounds fucking weird, I know. Please just drop the Wayne."

Tim smiled. "I think it sounds nice. Jason _Peter._ "

Jason rolled his eyes. "I’ve found about your name out too, Timothy Jackson," he teased him back. "Anyway, and Bruce said… I can be Robin."

Tim’s eyes widened. "Really?"

"I’m training right now actually. And let me tell you his training regimen is way worse than ours."

Tim gasped. "Jason, that’s great! You’re— you’re really going to be Robin!"

Jason smiled at him, the typical Jason smile Tim had missed over the week so much. "Hell yeah, I fucking will be."

"You’re going to tell me all about it!"

Jason shook his head. "Remember what I said? I’m only doing this with you." Tim tilted his head in confusion. "You’re going to train too."

"No, no, no."

"Yes, you will. I can’t let your scrawny ass run around in the streets to take pictures. I know you’re stubborn and I can’t convince you not to, not even Bruce. You can’t fool me!" Tim pouted and Jason put his hand on Tim’s shoulder. "I want you to protect yourself, babybird. I want to protect you too— but I’d still like it better if I knew you can kick ass when I’m not there to do it for you."

Tim stared at the half-eaten sandwich and gritted his teeth. "Fine."

Jason dropped his arm. "Thank you." Then, he said in a quieter voice, "I even met Batgirl."

"Barbara Gordon?!"

Jason blinked. "You knew she’s Batgirl?"

"Oh. I forgot to tell you."

Jason groaned. "Tim! What the fuck do you _not_ know?! You’re too smart for your own good."

Tim blushed but his lips curled into a smile. "How is she?"

"Kickass. I dunno, at first I thought she didn’t like me. I guess it’s hard to accept a new Robin. But she’s okay, warming up to me. Kinda hot."

Tim raised his eyebrows and Jason shrugged. "I think her and Dick are kind of a thing though," he explained.

"Isn’t he dating Starfire?"

"I have no idea what the fuck he’s doing," Jason admitted. "He and Bruce have a complicated relationship too. I’ve heard them fight quite a few times too. Bruce mopes around the Cave every time when he leaves. But it’s none of my business."

Even though Jason was telling everything like it was no big deal, Tim could hear the excitement behind it. He knew Jason well enough. And Tim was happy for him. Happy that he didn’t have to live alone anymore and steal from other people to have a roof over his head.

"Maybe one day, you’ll lead your own Teen Titans team," Tim whispered.

"Let’s not think that far ahead yet," Jason said.

"But you could meet Superman and Wonder Woman!" Tim gasped. "Oh my god! Can you— can you get an autograph for me?"

Jason laughed and punched Tim lightly at his side. "You’re such a fanboy."

"You’re not?"

"Okay, meeting them would be pretty damn cool," Jason admitted. "You know what you’ll like? The Batcave. I can’t believe you were right about it."

"Of course I was!"

"They have a huge ass computer and you won’t guess what they call it. The _Batcomputer."_

Tim burst out in laughter.

 

 


	10. Kiss Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed a few things in the continuity here and there... I'll try to make sure to mention them each time at the beginning of the chapters in the A/N. I changed Tim and Jason's birthday too because it fits better for the story.

"Are you okay?" Tim asked him.

Jason grunted as a response. Of course, Tim knew how Jason felt, no matter how hard he tried not to show it. "I’m fine," he lied through gritted teeth.

"You don’t have to lie." Tim sat down next to Jason and took his hand. "Did you punch someone?" His fingers brushed lightly over Jason’s knuckles and Jason pulled his arm back.

"No?"

Tim sighed. "Okay." Jason knew Tim didn’t believe it but dropped it regardless. They both ate their lunch in silence.

"They were being assholes," Jason explained after a short while. "All of these kids are being assholes. I hate school, I don’t see the point of going here."

He even had to repeat a year since he hadn’t been to school in a very long time ever since his mother died. The only good thing that came from it was that Jason was in the same school as Tim and not in middle school yet.

Tim pursed his lips. "You don’t mean that."

"I do. It sucks." Jason angrily stomped with his fork in the food. "Okay, you’re right. I don’t. It’s not that bad but I’m just so fucking _tired._ These kids keep talking shit. About me. And you." Then, with an angrier tone, he added, "about us."

"What did they say?"

"You don’t need to know about it." Jason had no idea why those kids kept picking fights with Jason. He was a Wayne now and as far as Jason knew, their parents all worked for Wayne Enterprises or at least wanted Bruce’ favor. Maybe these rich boys were just pissed off someone like Jason, a street kid or a _rat_ like they liked to call him, was above them in the social ladder. Like that mattered at all. Jason could easily just snitch on them, tell the school or Bruce and see how their face would change once their parents scolded them but Jason wasn’t a fucking snitch. It was the number one rule on the streets.

Besides, Bruce had better things to do than meddle with these things.

"They like to pick on you because you get angry easily," Tim said.

"Of course I do! They’re fucking stupid!"

"They stopped bothering me."

Jason snapped his head up. "They picked on you too?"

Tim shrugged. "Used to. I think they got bored of it when I didn’t respond."

Jason saw red. Nobody was allowed to lay a hand on his Tim. "I’m going to kill them."

"Jason. You can’t, you know Bruce will bench you and only postpone you becoming Robin for a longer time."

"Who cares for Robin?" That was another lie. Jason cared for Robin. He’d been training for two months now to become Robin and Bruce still hadn’t let him have his debut out in the streets— his _official_ debut, not the one night at the Gotham Zoo because that didn’t count. Not really.

But how did Robin matter when the person he mostly became Robin for was hurt?

"They don’t do it anymore," Tim said. "Let’s talk about something else."

To calm Jason down, Tim started talking about other things. He started talking about his gymnastic club he started this year and how he had improved. He talked about how he hacked into his first website last night and that Jason wasn’t allowed to tell Bruce about it.

It helped Jason. Tim’s words always did and he relaxed.

The bell rang.

"Thank you," Jason told Tim and the younger boy smiled.

"What for?" Like he didn’t know the effect he had on Jason. Tim grabbed his things and walked to his class, while Jason walked to his. He wished, they could be in the same class. He made his way towards his English class and sat down at his place.

"You ran to your little boyfriend again?" Charles asked him.

Jason looked up at him. The redhead grinned at Jason with a stupid smile and Jason’s fist itched again.

"Shut the fuck up," Jason said.

"What are you going to do? Hit me again?" Charles teased. He was huge and usually with two other guys which was why Jason didn’t have a big advantage on him. But he was still Jason and those three guys were all trust fund kids. None of them had to fight on the streets _or_ were trained by Batman. Jason had to actually hold himself back to not actually injure them.

"What if I do? Wanna go cry to the teacher about it?" Jason shot back.

Charles grunted and turned away. Jason could hear him mutter a homophobic slur under his breath and Jason would’ve jumped him immediately in this moment if his mind didn’t drift to Tim. He couldn’t do it. Tim wouldn’t want him to lash out and Jason wanted to be running on the streets as Robin as soon as possible.

Instead, Jason’s clenched his jaw and turned away.

* * *

 

 

It’s been two months since Jason started living at the Manor. About five since Jason met Tim for the first time.

Yeah, to say his year had been crazy was an understatement.

He was sure if there was something he would never get used to, then it was those galas. Tim had told him about them before and even then Jason had thought they sounded pretty boring. Little events and parties for the rich to boast and display their wealth, wear necklaces with diamonds on them that were worth more than Jason could dream to ever make in his life, flashed their fake smiles and their even faker perfect lives to look good in front of all the other rich fake people.

Jason hated it. If he wouldn’t know Tim and his family were attending too, he wouldn’t even come. Besides, it was also Tim’s tenth birthday. Jason wouldn’t miss it for the world. Even it also meant having to put up with hundreds of Gotham’s so-called Elite he hated so much, including Tim’s parents.

Dick wasn’t here either, he actually hadn’t been around that much in Gotham. Mostly around with the Titans or as Nightwing in Blüdhaven, even talked about wanting to become a police officer. Jason had only rolled his eyes when the former Robin told him about his plans.

"It’s so fucking hot in here," Jason complained and tugged at his collar, trying to lose it. It was only the second event he had turned up, the first one had been hell. Everyone had stared at him (hell, people still did) because he was the newly adopted son of Bruce Wayne. Jason had hated how they looked at him. Their smiles were so fake and they coddled him while gossiping and talking badly about Jason as soon as he turned their back to him.

"I heard he’s a street kid", "Mother’s a junkie", "His father is a criminal", and "Dick Grayson was low already but this child looks like pure Gotham."

 _Pure Gotham_.

"Language, Master Jason," Alfred reminded him. Jason rolled his eyes but put on a fake smile.

"Of course, Alfred. I will try my _utmost_ to look good for the Wayne Family name." Alfred snickered.

Jason liked Alfred. He still didn’t know what to think about Bruce or Dick but he liked Alfred. He was pleasantly surprised when Jason told him he liked to cook and before dinner, Jason often spend time in the kitchen with Alfred helping him cook. The butler taught him a lot of things and always offered an open ear while also telling Jason stories about Bruce from his childhood, making the man seem less of a stuck-up than he was.

A lot of people talked to them and Jason just stood there next to Bruce. It was scary to see him during events like this. He knew Bruce as this dark grim protector of Gotham, yes, even out of the suit but as soon as they were under people he put on this _mask_. A mask with a charming smile that should look fake but didn’t because he had honed his skills on deceiving people so well over the years, pretending he was a charming playboy and flirted with the rich women that all practically swooned whenever the handsome Bruce Wayne paid them any attention.

"There are Tim’s parents," Bruce said. Jason immediately snapped his head up, suddenly paying attention. "I will talk with them in private."

Jason nodded and they approached the Drakes. Tim stood there in a black suit with a light blue undershirt and a black bow tie. The blue fit to Tim’s light blue eyes. He smiled at Jason when he saw him and Jason smiled back.

"Mr. Wayne," Tim’s father said and shook Bruce’ hand, "it’s good to see you."

"Yes, it’s been a while," Mrs. Drake added with a polite smile.

"’Sup?" Jason said just to piss her off. Her smile disappeared for a short while. Jason knew her and her husband still hated him but she couldn’t say anything because he wasn’t just a street kid anymore. He was Bruce Wayne’s son now and therefore they had to be polite to him. A smile appeared on her face again.

"Jason, it’s nice to see you again."

"Likewise, Mrs. Drake." They both stared at each other and neither of them budged until Bruce cleared his throat.

"It’s good to see you too, Tim," he said. "Jason told me it’s your birthday today. Happy birthday."

Tim smiled. "Thank you."

"Timmy, wanna get out of here?"

"It’s Tim."

Jason grinned. He liked calling him 'Timmy' just for Tim to correct him every time. He could see the Drakes exchanging glances but Bruce smiled.

"I’d like to talk to you two in private."

"Oh, of course. Tim, dear, don’t go too far away," Tim’s mother said.

Jason already had turned his back to her and rolled his eyes. "Come on." He grabbed Tim’s hand and dragged him away from all this.

It was sometimes weird for Jason to imagine Tim was born into this. Tim was such a good person, he had such a kind heart. Jason couldn’t imagine turning out like _them_ one day.

"Where are we going?"

"Food," Jason explained and let Tim’s hand go. "First time I see you in a suit."

"Same here," Tim said. The first time Jason was introduced to the Gotham society, Tim’s parents had been out of the country again so he hadn’t been there. "Do you know what Bruce is talking to my parents?"

Jason’s mouth was full with shrimps when Tim asked him. He just nodded as a response and choked out a, "yeah."

Tim giggled when he saw him like that. Jason chewed quickly and swallowed. "I told him about your parents going away for a while again," he explained. "I know your parents hate me especially your mother and I do too but they like Bruce."

"They don’t like Bruce."

Jason laughed. Of course, they didn’t. Probably thought he was crazy for adopting someone like Jason too. "You know what I mean. They gotta pretend to like Bruce. He’s going to ask them to let you stay at the manor for the time."

"What?" Tim’s eyes widened.

"You think I’m just letting you live alone again? Say 'aaah'."

"Jay—"

Jason stuffed a shrimp into Tim’s mouth. "They’re good right? Did you know I’ve never eaten shrimps in my life before until like months ago?"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Anyway, you’re going to stay at the Manor and we can hang out. And we can train together more!" Jason smiled. "Would you like that?"

Tim looked down. "I don’t know."

"Oh."

"No! I mean, I’d love to. But… I’m nervous," Tim admitted while fumbling with his fingers. "He’s still Batman." He went to his tiptoes to whisper it in Jason’s ear.

"He’s not that scary," Jason said. "Dick told me he once tripped over his cape and pretended it didn’t happen."

Tim laughed. Jason loved seeing Tim laugh.

"Okay." Jason grabbed into his pocket and took out a plastic bag.

"What are you doing?"

"I’m taking snacks with me and then we’ll go somewhere else."

"Jay, we can’t just leave!"

"We can. It’s your birthday." Jason didn’t care if people saw him grabbing all the snacks from the table and stuffed it into his bag. They thought the worst of him anyway, he didn’t have to impress any of them. And he was a Wayne, they couldn’t do shit about it.

Jason liked the look on Tim’s face too. The smile he tried hard to suppress and how his eyes lit up. Jason could tell Tim liked doing things like this, something his parents would never allow him to do.

The two of them later sneaked out from the hall and found a place outside to sit down. It was in the back and not too far away was a door for staff only, occasionally they walked out and in but they never walked past them. Jason and Tim had their jackets draped over their bodies since it was cold already, their warm breath forming faint smoke clouds.

"Do you think my parents will let me live in the manor?" Tim asked.

"Of course. They can’t say no to Bruce. He mentioned something about Wayne and Drake Enterprises work relationship or something like that."

"It’s Industries," Tim said.

"Tomato, tomato." Jason opened the plastic bag and offered it to Tim. They ate while talking about all the people in the gala and Jason complained about them as Tim listened. "Right. I haven’t congratulated you yet. Uh, happy birthday."

"Thank you, Jay."

Jason grinned. "You gotta grow a bit more now."

Tim pouted. "Not funny."

Jason laughed and put his arm over Tim. "It is a little bit. Anyway, I didn’t know what to get you for your birthday… but." He grabbed into his suit jacket again. There was a colorful envelope in it which he handed over to Tim.

"Red, green and yellow," Tim said and smiled. "Robin colors."

"Yeah, yeah. Just open it."

Tim giggled and opened it. "Jason— are you sure?" There were tickets for ice skating in it. Jason hadn’t gone ice skating since his mother died and the ice ring will always be a personal place for him, always something he connected to the day he spent with his mother.

"Yeah," he said. "Bruce actually went all out and reserved it for a whole day."

Tim laughed. "I don’t know what to say."

"A 'thank you' would be a start."

Tim smiled at him brightly. He was so adorable, his cheeks all red from the cold, his light eyes shining brightly even in the dark, and his smile was so warm. "Thank you, Jay." He leaned over to Jason and planted a kiss on Jason’s cheek.

Jason could feel the heat rushing to his face. Tim already turned his attention back to the tickets while munching on some snacks but Jason… Jason forgot how to breathe. He touched the place where Tim had kissed him, feeling his heart beat faster.

"If I don’t know how to skate you can’t make fun of me," Tim said. "Don’t be mean, okay?"

Jason hummed in response. He still wasn’t able to find any words but that was okay because Tim just kept talking.

"I need skates. No, wait my parents bought me some once. Maybe they’ll still fit, I’ve never tried them on…" After a while, Tim noticed Jason was barely paying attention. "Jay?" He was pouting. He had such chubby cheeks, Jason noticed. "Are you listening?"

"Uh… no." Jason’s mind was too occupied, trying hard to think about why he was behaving like this.

"Meanie." Tim didn’t actually seem to mind. "Open your mouth."

When Tim stuffed a shrimp in it, Jason finally realized it.

_Oh._

 

 


	11. Butterfly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the cutest shit I've ever written in my life I think.

Jason skipped around the Batcave. He swirled and jumped up the desk next to Tim, looked down on him, triumphantly with his hands on his hips and smiled widely, all teeth. Tim looked up at his best friends and smiled just as widely back. Jason pushed himself off the desk and jumped down from the table but not without doing a somersault in the air. He landed on his feet, not as graceful and elegant as Dick, but way more than Tim could ever dream of.

Tim cheered him on and clapped his hands. There was a blush that crept up on Jason’s cheeks, Tim’s sure it’s because of the excitement of finally wearing the new Robin suit and knowing this was his first day out.

"What do you think?" Jason asked him.

"Great! You look great, Jay!" Tim said. This was Robin now. Jason, his best friend, was Robin! After months of training, Bruce finally let him outside on the streets with a brand new costume. It looked pretty much the same as Dick’s but with long pants because Tim had insisted on the costume change because he didn’t want Jason to freeze.

"Yeah? I think so too." Jason spread out his arms and twirled around, laughing cheerfully.

"You’ll be so good outside!" Tim said. He wasn’t just saying this to prop Jason up and boost his confidence, he was really believing it. He had been living at the manor for a few weeks now, not a whole month, but he had seen the amount of training Jason went through. He worked so hard and trained every day, a lot of times with Tim as well, but he never looked like he got tired of it. He was only ever just impatient, he wanted to go out on the streets. Once he turned thirteen, Bruce deemed him to be ready.

"You hear that, Bruce?" Jason shouted.

Bruce walked up to them, he was already dressed up as Batman as well but without the cowl on yet. Even on his face was a soft smile, one Tim didn’t see often on him. He must be really proud of Jason because Tim was.

"Yes," he said.

"This is the best day of my life!" Jason shouted. He turned to Tim and pulled him up from the desk chair.

Tim giggled and followed him, let himself be twirled around and jumped with Jason up and down.

"Jason, Tim," Bruce said. "I know you’re both excited but this is serious."

"Yeah, yeah." Jason rolled his eyes but there was still the smile on his lips. "Don’t worry. I got this, old man."

Bruce sighed and put on his cowl.

"All right, you know the rules."

"Yep," Jason replied, popping the 'p' loudly. He turned to Tim. "You’re watching me, right?"

"Of course, Jay," Tim said.

"Through the monitors," Bruce said, "no going outside."

Tim pouted. He hadn’t completely given up on his hobby but Bruce still didn’t like it. "Okay," he said quietly. Even though he had been living here for a while now, he wasn’t that comfortable around Bruce Wayne yet. Not in the way Jason was.

"I’ll have you in my ear," Jason said. "I can bring you a souvenir!"

"Jason."

"What? That giant penny and the dinosaur are kinda souvenirs too, aren’t they?" Jason said.

Bruce pursed his lips. "We’re going now." He turned to Alfred and nodded at him. Then, he looked down at Tim.

"Take care, Mr. Wayne" Tim said with wide eyes.

"I will."

"You too, Jay!" Tim hugged him.

"Don’t worry, babybird." Jason awkwardly pushed Tim gently away. "Watch me properly, okay? I’ll show you what a good Robin I am."

Tim grinned. "You don’t need to. I’ve always known."

 

* * *

 

 

 

When Jason came back, there’s a bruise on his knee but apart from that, he was fine. Tim jumped up from his seat, almost knocking off the hot chocolate Alfred had made him and ran towards Jason.

"You were so good!" he shouted. "You too, Mr. Wayne."

"Tim, you know you can call me Bruce," Bruce told him.

"I know, right?" Jason grinned and held his hand up. Tim had to stretch a bit to reach Jason’s hand with his to give him a high-five.

"You have to tell me everything!"

"Tim, you watched me through the monitors."

"Still!"

"Boys, it’s late already," Bruce said.

"C’mon, Bruce! It’s the weekend!" Jason said. Bruce looked over to Alfred and then sighed.

"Fine, but not too long."

"Can we have a sleepover?" Jason asked and Tim almost jumped up from excitement.

"Yes," Bruce said.

"Thank you!" Tim smiled brightly at Bruce. He always seemed so grim, but small gestures like this made him warm up to the man.

Jason headed to the showers and Tim ran back to finish his cup of hot chocolate, thanked Alfred and left the Batcave. The Manor was really huge and Tim had actually lost his way in it once; He always thought the Drake mansion was too big already but this way really like Jason once said, on another level.

Tim and Jason’s room were next to each other but it still felt really empty. The beds were huge and since both of them were small, it wasn’t a big deal when they shared a bed. Tim grabbed for his plushie which his parents had given it to him as a gift after they departed and left him with Bruce Wayne. It was a red dragon, fitting for "Drake". Jason had teased him about it but not too much and Tim didn’t actually mind it. He still slept with his little dragon because it was the only thing he had from his parents now.

Tim had already changed to his pajamas before Jason and Bruce went on patrol and only had to brush his teeth now. Once he was finished, he walked into Jason’s bedroom and let himself fall on the other male’s bed. They have had a lot of sleepovers at Jason’s room already, it was normal for them now.

Tim crawled under the sheets and soon later he can hear Jason stomping in. The other boy’s hair was still wet and he had a towel around his shoulders.

"Don’t fall asleep on me yet!" Jason shouted and jumped on the bed with such a force Tim almost fell off.

"Jay!" Tim complained but he laughed. "Don’t worry. I’m not tired yet."

"You better not be."

"You should blow dry your hair."

Jason made a face. He never blew dry his hair, he used to not own a blow dryer which was why he was used to just let his hair get dried by the air. Tim walked into Jason’s bathrooms (yes, they had their own bathrooms), grabbed the blow dryer and went back to Jason.

The other boy was still waiting while his wet hair dripped onto the bedsheets. Tim sat down across from Jason and plugged the blow dryer in. Jason grinned and shook his hair.

"Jason!" Tim shouted as drops got into his face.

"Yeah?"

"You’re mean. I’m trying to be nice here." Tim turned on the blow dryer and for a while, they just sat there in silence as Tim blow dried Jason’s hair. "So?"

"You saw me. It was so cool! I— did you see how I kicked this guy’s ass? He was like 'who are you supposed to be?' and I was like 'I’m Robin, _bitch_!'"

Tim laughed. "I saw. Bruce wasn’t amused."

"Yeah, said I shouldn’t swear." Jason shrugged. "Worth it. He didn’t know Robin, the guy was new in town. Can you believe some people don’t know Robin? Dick’s been gone for too long! But that’s over! I’m here now!"

Tim smiled. "Yeah, you are," he said. "You looked really cool out there."

Jason’s eyes widened and his cheeks reddened. "Really? You think so?"

"Of course, Jay."

Jason’s smile was so wide and genuine. It warmed Tim’s heart to see him like this. To see Jason so full of joy and life made Tim so happy. There was no one’s happiness that he cared for more than Jason’s.

"I told you, you’d make a great Robin," Tim said.

"Yeah, you did, Timmy," Jason said. "Always believed in me."

Tim poked Jason’s nose and turned off the blow dryer. "I will stop if you keep calling me 'Timmy'."

Jason laughed. "Nah, you won’t."

"You’re right." There was no way he’d ever stop believing in Jason. His best friend and hero. "Wanna go to bed?"

"I still can’t sleep. Too much adrenaline!"

Tim gently pushed Jason down next to him. "We can still talk. But you know Bruce is going to check up on us."

They lied down facing each other and Tim reached out to turn off the light. A few more words were exchanged about tonight until they heard the door open softly. Immediately, the boys pretended they were asleep so they wouldn’t have Bruce scold them.

Tim suspected that Bruce knew they were just pretending, but he never said something. Instead, the man walked up to them, looked at them for a while and pulled their blankets over their bodies to cover them more and walked away.

Tim drifted into a dream about Batman and Robin that night.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Tim sat in a room with Batman, Robin, Nightwing, and Batgirl.

Like it was no big deal. Like those weren’t the heroes he used to have cut out newspaper articles out of and wore merchandise for. He didn’t do that anymore because it was kind of embarrassing to walk around with a Batman backpack when he literally lived with Batman but he still had it somewhere.

Dick didn’t live with them so Tim had only met him once since the incident with Joker at the Zoo.

It was weird to sit here with them. Tim had warmed up to Alfred, with them being the ones that stayed back when Bruce and Jason went on patrol, he had spent a lot of time with the old man. Alfred was nice, and he helped Tim with his training too. He didn’t let Tim drink coffee because he was too young but the hot chocolate and the cookies he always prepared for Tim for late nights in the Batcave made up for it.

It was the first Christmas Tim spent with Jason. His parents couldn’t come home, they wanted to but there was a huge snow storm and the planes weren’t flying. They talked to him over the phone and sent him a gift (that hadn’t arrived yet) and promised to be there before New Year’s Eve.

For the first time, Tim didn’t mind. It wasn’t the first time he didn’t spend Christmas with his parents but it was the first time he wasn’t too upset about it. Because now he had Jason, and… and Alfred and Bruce.

Even Dick was like a big brother in some ways Tim never had. He even brought them all ugly Christmas sweater and they all decorated the Christmas tree together. It was the most fun Tim ever had.

"Do you want to put the star up?" Dick asked him.

"Me?" Tim widened his eyes in surprise.

"Yeah, why not? You’re the youngest." Dick smiled at him.

"But I’m… I’m not part of the family," Tim said with a quiet voice. He saw Dick’s expression change like it pained him to hear that.

"Tim." Bruce walked up to him and kneeled in front of Tim. "You may not be my son but you’re just part of this family as everyone else."

Tim held his breath and fumbled with the hem of his shirt. It was a red one with a reindeer on it which nose blinked when you clicked on it. "Really?"

Jason stepped next to Tim. "He won’t reach it though, he’s way too short."

Tim pushed Jason gently. "Hey!"

Jason laughed.

"That’s no problem." Dick placed the star in Tim’s hand and carried him, raising him so Tim could put the star on top of the tree.

"Perfect!" Barbara shouted. The redhead was spending Christmas with them because her father, unfortunately, was on duty today. Working on Christmas must be rough but he was the Commissioner after all. Crime didn’t stop just because it was Christmas, and Tim knew that the others were going to retreat into the Cave and go on patrol later tonight as well.

They took pictures for Christmas cards and Tim smiled so brightly, his cheeks hurt afterwards.

"One of them is for your parents," Bruce told Tim and Tim smiled.

"I hope they’ll like it." He knew his parents were still not too keen on Tim being best friends with Jason and living with him under a roof with Bruce Wayne but maybe when they saw how happy Tim was, they’d understand.

"Okay, now we’re watching Christmas movies!" Dick declared.

Barbara laughed. "Really? Are we watching The Grinch again?"

"Yes."

"You always watch it!"

"The Grinch reminds me of Bruce," Dick explained and Jason and Tim burst out in laughter. They followed Dick to the living room where Alfred set up snacks already. Dick sat down in front of the TV to put in the DVD and Tim sat down next to Barbara. He was still unsure of how to act around her but she seemed nice.

"Hey, I heard you liked computers," she said.

"Uh… yeah," Tim said. "I try."

Barbara smiled. "I’m not so bad with them myself. If you want, we can play around on them. I’m working on my own computer right now," she explained.

"Really? How cool!"

She laughed. "Trust me, it’ll be even safer than the Batcomputer. But I’d need your help."

Tim smiled brightly at her. "I’d love to help!"

"That’s a plan." The older girl ruffled his hair and Jason sat down immediately next to Tim and glared at Barbara.

"Don’t treat him like a child."

"Jay?" Tim asked. He didn’t mind it, Barbara wasn’t treating him like a child. She thought he was good enough to work with her at least.

Barbara raised her eyebrows, looked between them and then laughed. "Oh, I get it." She winked at them and relaxed back into the couch. Dick settled between her and Bruce, while Alfred sat to Jason’s right.

This was the best Christmas Eve Tim ever had, he decided as he snuggled closer to Jason.

 


	12. New

"Can’t wait for it to get warmer again," Jason said.

"Hmm," Tim hummed.

"I hate Gotham winters."

"You also hate Gotham summers."

Jason scoffed and Tim laughed. "I fucking hate being sick," he complained, stepping on the snow. "And it’s February, why is it still snowing?"

"February is still winter."

"Okay, smart ass." Jason tugged down the scarf around his neck and used his tissue to clean his nose. Jason had been in a bad mood since the beginning of the week. Tim’s parents were back for at least a month, so he was living with them again, and on top of itJason caught a cold and was now benched from Batman and Robin activities.

Jason missed Tim. Being alone in the Manor was frustrating. He was sure if Tim was with him, not being able to go out as Robin would make it half as frustrating.

"Next time, don’t forget your scarf," Tim said, "luckily enough, Alfred made this one long enough for the both of us." The scarf was so long, Tim had been able to wrap it once around Jason and once around his own neck. Jason was actually happy that he forgot his scarf. They were both standing in the cold, in front of the school, waiting for Tim’s driver to pick him up.

"Hey, lovebirds!" a group of guys shouted at them. Tim tensed next to Jason. Those guys really picked the worst time, right now it was _not_ a good idea to mess with Jason.

"Come here, Chris, I dare you," Jason said and raised his fist. "Want me to kick your ass?"

"Damn," Chris whistled. "Once a street rat, always a street rat, huh?"

Jason was about to jump at him but Tim pulled him back.

"Jay, no."

"Yeah, _Jay_ ," the boy next to Chris sang with a smug grin. "Let your little boyfriend hold you back."

"Shut the fuck up," Jason shouted at them.

"Don’t pay attention to them," Tim said and closed his hand over Jason’s. Tim’s hands were really cold and yet Jason didn’t flinch at all at the touch. Instead, he relaxed. Holding Tim’s hands were also worth forgetting his gloves.

"Just walk away," Jason grunted.

Tim squeezed Jason’s hand and offered his best friend a smile. Jason melted at the cute innocent smile. Tim really was too good for this world.

"Give me one good reason to not smash their fucking heads in."

"You know the reason," Tim said.

"Are you coming over today?"

Tim shrugged. "I don’t know yet. My parents are home."

"We could go out to watch Batman and take pictures," Jason said. "Just like old times."

Tim laughed. "Jason, you still have a cold."

"It’s not that bad anymore!" Jason protested.

The black car of Tim’s parents parked in front of them. Tim unwrapped himself out of the scarf. "You can keep the scarf. You need it more than me. Just give it back to me tomorrow at school."

Tim stepped into the car and Jason watched as it drove away. He hated it, hated how they didn’t go home together and how Tim was going back to his so-called parents. Jason still resented them but for Tim’s sake, he tried to be nice.

Jason let out a deep sigh and buried his face in the scarf. It smelled like Tim and the laundry powder Alfred always used. He was glad, Tim was already gone because Jason didn’t want Tim to see him like this.

 

 

* * *

 

Sometimes, Jason couldn’t believe he hadn’t even known Tim for a year now.

They were so close and he trusted him more than anyone, even more so than Batman who literally had to have his back in combat. In less than a year, Tim had managed to turn Jason’s life upside down for the better.

And Tim had changed a lot too. He wasn’t that shy around Bruce and at least didn’t call him 'Mr. Wayne' anymore. Of course, he was still reluctant and not as open to him as Jason was but baby steps, right? And Tim had improved physically as well. He was still small but training with the bats had done a big difference. It also helped that he was in the school’s gymnastics club. Jason didn’t have time for such things, he spent the time Tim was at his club to do his homework in the library. Once he got home, he had to either catch up on his sleep or work out.

Tim’s face was red when he turned to Jason. His hair was messy and standing up from his head and his little hands in fists. "How did I do?"

"Good," Jason replied.

"Yeah, you don’t look so good." Tim was breathing heavily from the workout. He grabbed his water bottle and took big gulps.

"I’m fine." Jason really wasn’t but he liked being in the Batcave with Tim, watching the younger male train. It comforted him to know that Tim was training. Yes, he had sworn that something like the night at the Zoo will never happen again because he will be there to protect Tim, but he also preferred to know that Tim can defend himself just as well.

Tim stepped closer and put his hand against Jason’s forehead. "You’re burning! Jay, I think your cold got worse."

"Did not," Jason protested.

Tim huffed. "It did."

"Nope."

"Don’t be so stubborn. You’re not a child. Let’s go to bed."

Jason shook his head. "No, you’re finally here… got away from your parents. I can’t go to bed."

"You need sleep! You have to get better if you wanna go out as Robin again!" Jason groaned. Tim was like always right.

"Will you nurse me to health?"

"Okay," Tim said. It had been a joke but Tim was like always an angel. "Come, I’ll help you get to your room."

Jason took his hand.

* * *

 

 

"Timmy," Jason whispered.

"Jason, you have to let go of me."

"Tim." Jason kept his arms around Tim as the younger boy tugged him in bed. Gentle as ever, Tim pushed him down.

"You look shitty."

"Thank you."

Tim laughed. "I’ll tell Alfred."

"No…" Jason grabbed Tim’s hand. "Stay."

"Jason, you act like you’re about to die."

Jason smiled lazily. "I could be dying. Wouldn’t you be sad?"

Tim sighed. "You’re a baby, Jason. A baby."

"I’m baby?"

"Yeah." Tim laughed and squeezed Jason’s hand. His hand was so much smaller than Jason’s. He wondered if maybe one day Tim will catch up to him in height. Jason doubted it but anything could happen, right?

"Tim, I’m _dying_."

"Don’t be silly, you’re not dying. Not now or ever. I’ll be right back."

"Give me a kiss." Jason was actually not _that_ sick. But acting like this was fun when Tim was so nice to him. Maybe he was a bad person for taking advantage of his best friend like that.

"You’re the worst." But Tim still leaned down and kissed Jason’s cheek. "I’ll be right back. Don’t die." Tim walked out of Jason’s room and once Jason was sure he couldn’t hear him, he turned around and buried his face in his pillow, screaming in it while flailing his legs in the air.

Tim had really kissed him! Again! For the _second_ time now!

Jason couldn’t stop smiling now and had to try hard to force himself to.

He also tried to calm down his stupid fast beating heart before Tim came back with Alfred, who checked Jason’s temperature. He gave him some medicine, placed a wet towel on Jason’s forehead, and gave him warm soup. Alfred disappeared again and Jason was glad for it.

"Look, soup," Tim said.

"Smells good."

"I will not feed you," Tim said and Jason pouted.

"You take all the fun out of it, babybird."

Alfred had taken a small table with him that allowed Jason to eat in bed. He sat up and Tim placed the soup on the table. "It’s hot, be careful," Tim said. He grabbed the chair from Jason’s desk and sat down next to the bed.

"I’m not _that_ much of a baby."

"Right." Tim smiled.

"Does Bruce know yet?"

"No, he’s at a meeting." Sometimes Jason forgot that Bruce was still Bruce Wayne and that he had to attend meetings. He wasn’t really acting like the perfect CEO but it wasn’t like he left the entire company in Lucius Fox’ hands. Luckily, Bruce never expected Jason to attend many events with him. Jason only went when he knew Tim was going to be forced to be there too to keep his friend company.

"I’ll be benched for at least one more week," Jason complained while eating the soup.

"You probably won’t be allowed to go to school either."

Jason let out a cry. Great, no Robin and no Tim either. "When are your parents gone again?"

Tim shifted in his seat. "Five more weeks."

"Five weeks!"

"I’ll try to visit as often as I can. I can lie and we can hang out in the library."

Jason sighed and leaned his head back. "You know what would be cool? If you could be a vigilante too. Then we’d have all day together!"

Tim laughed. "Me?"

"Yeah, you, Tim."

Tim shook his head. "I’m not— I couldn’t."

"Why not? You’re training and you’ve improved so much in such a short time!" Jason said. "Obviously not yet but maybe in like a few years." He thought about it. Thought about having Tim on the field right next to him. Of course, Jason didn’t want any harm to come to him but Tim was reckless anyway. This is the boy who went out at eight years to take pictures of Batman and Robin. This is the child who climbed up on signs just to get the best angle. And recently, he’d been working on some cases even though Bruce told him not to.

Tim got his hands on anything and you couldn’t stop him from doing dangerous things, no matter how much you tried.

"But…"

"It’d be nice," Jason said. "If we were partners."

Tim smiled. "You think so?"

"Mmh. I mean I won’t be Robin forever," Jason explained. "And then we could be, I don’t know. A duo."

Tim laughed. "You and me, a superhero duo?"

Jason grinned. "Yeah, why not? I trust you to have my back more than anyone."

"You shouldn’t."

"But I do." Jason sighed and closed his eyes. He really liked the thought of it. Him and Tim, side by side, fighting the big bad guys. They knew each other really well already and trained often together, Jason was sure they’d work well. They’d be a battle power couple just like Green Arrow and Black Canary!

Jason shook his head quickly. As much as he liked the thought of it, it wasn’t like Tim liked him back like _that_. He was way too young for that, way too innocent.

"Are you tired?" Tim asked.

"Yeah," Jason said. It wasn’t even a lie.

"All right." Tim took the table from Jason’s lap and put it aside. "I’ll leave. Or do you want me to stay and wait until you fall asleep?"

It was embarrassing in a way. "Stay, please," Jason said quietly.

Tim smiled. "Okay."

When Jason fell asleep, he hoped to dream of Tim.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ____
> 
> And that's the end of Part 1!


	13. One Way

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They’re 13/16 years old now

**PART TWO**

**3 Years Later**

There they were at it again.

Tim took a deep breath and rubbed his temples. The Manor was so big that Tim shouldn’t be able to hear them from his room. And yet he could. It’s mostly just Jason though. Tim couldn’t hear what he was shouting but Tim could imagine what it was. It had been like this for a while now.

Tim quickly checked his computer again, saved the files, made sure one last time there was no way to track anything he had been doing the last few hours back to him and turned it off. He got up and walked over to Jason’s room which was still next to his. He leaned against the wall next to the door and waited.

There were Jason’s footsteps, loud and thumping coming closer. And soon, there was Jason.

"Jay—"

"I don’t want to talk about it," Jason snapped. He was angry, his brows furrowed and his eyes had that look in them that Tim had seen a lot recently. He also had a bruised lip and his knuckles were red.

"But—"

"What do you not understand? Go away!" Jason shouted at Tim, threw the door to his room open and slammed it shut as soon as he disappeared behind it.

Tim sighed and looked down on his feet.

One… two… three…

The door opened again. "Tim, I’m so sorry," Jason said with pleading eyes. Tim rolled his eyes, turned to Jason and walked in his room.

"Sorry for what?" Tim asked.

Jason sighed. "I’m sorry I let my anger out on you," he said with a quiet voice, his head hanging down. Tim stepped closer to his best friend and cupped his face.

Over the years, he had grown even taller and broader. Tim felt like there was no way he could ever catch up on Jason. "Does it hurt?" he asked.

"No, it’s— I patched it up already," Jason said. His hands went up and he placed them on top of Tim’s. "Really, Tim. I’m sorry. None of this is your fault."

Tim’s thumb stroked over Jason’s cheekbones. He had become more handsome too, Tim wasn’t surprised he was really popular with the girls. He wondered why Jason didn’t have a girlfriend yet. Jason claimed it was because he was too busy being Robin, handling school and hanging out with Tim. Sometimes, Tim felt bad about it that he took so much time from Jason.

"You want to talk about it?" Tim asked.

Jason sighed and dropped his hands. "No. It’s the same thing as always."

He stepped back and sat down on his bed, let himself fall back on it. Tim sat down next to Jason and let himself fall back as well. Their shoulders touched as they stared on the ceiling.

"I think he regrets making me Robin," Jason said quietly.

"No! No way. He loves you."

Jason scoffed. "Yeah, right. I understand why Dick quit."

Tim didn’t know what to say. He had felt so helpless recently with Jason and Bruce fighting more often. A lot of times, he couldn’t even stay at the manor so he felt even worse knowing Jason was all alone there and didn’t have anyone to talk to after a fight with Bruce.

Jason turned his head to Tim. "Anyway, it’s late. You should go to sleep, you have school tomorrow."

"So do you," Tim said. "Are you really okay?"

Jason shrugged. "I have to be," he said. "Again, I’m sorry, babybird. I never— I never want to be angry at you."

Tim grinned. "I know," he replied.

"Literally, I feel like you couldn’t do anything to make me mad, ever."

Now Tim was laughing. "I remember we had a fight three years ago."

Jason was finally smiling now too. "Yeah, but I forgave you immediately."

Tim hesitated. "Do you want me to stay?"

It had been a long time since they last slept in the same bed. At some point, Jason claimed they were too old for that now. Tim knew he was right but he loved their little sleepovers and missed them.

"No," Jason said.

Tim sat up and looked away to hide his disappointment. "I’ll go to bed now. Don’t stay up all night, okay?"

"Okay. Night, Tim."

Tim got up and walked out of the room. Lately, he felt like there had been a distance between them. He couldn’t exactly explain it. Maybe it was with Jason finding new friends with the Teen Titans… He knew that Jason and that one boy, Kid Devil, got really close. They exchanged letters and e-mails, even out of missions and Jason talked about him a lot. He hated that he was a little bit jealous but Tim knew he couldn’t keep Jason for himself.

That was selfish.

 

* * *

 

 

Tim just hung up on his weekly phone call with his parents, when the line rang again.

"Tim Drake," he answered the phone.

"Tim." He immediately recognized the voice of the man on the other line. In and out of the suit, Bruce’ voice was something you could always recognize. "Is Jason with you?"

"Uh, no," Tim replied.

"Was he at school?"

Tim hesitated. "I didn’t go to school today," he confessed. He had texted Jason about it, that he was skipping school. There were just some days when Tim couldn’t bring himself to go and faking his parents’ signature was really easy. They didn’t care as long as he kept his good grades, which he did. He had spent the day at home, working on a case. He knew Bruce disliked it too when he did that when Tim worked on his own but he also knew he couldn’t stop Tim. He was a detective at heart. "Why?"

"He left… he ran away and left a note."

"I’m coming over." Tim immediately hung up.

* * *

 

Jason left a farewell note to Bruce.

When Tim entered Jason’s bedroom, it looked like always on the first glance. But it wasn’t— there were some things missing. His clothes, the picture of him and Jason at the Zoo they shot three years ago, a copy of his favorite book.

Jason just left and didn’t say anything to Tim. He left Tim.

Why?

Why would he do that? Tim knew Jason and Bruce hadn’t exactly been on the best terms recently but Tim wasn’t Bruce. Tim would always be on Jason’s side, no matter what. They were best friends, they told each other everything. At least, Tim thought they did.

Why would Jason leave him without saying anything? Did he not care for Tim? He wanted to cry but there was no time for it right now. Bruce was busy being Batman and Tim was angry at him for it, for caring more about that than Jason but he had to find out where Jason was now.

Tim searched in Jason’s wardrobe and found a carton put in the far back of it. He grabbed it and pulled it out. Tim put it on Jason’s bed and opened it. To his surprise, there were several things from Jason’s parents. He didn’t know Jason had these.

They must be new, Tim thought. He went through the things and took out one of the many picture frames that were in it. One of them had Jason with his mother and father, all of them smiling in the picture. They even wore suits and a dress, it was odd to Tim to see them like this, like a happy family which Tim knew they weren’t.

Jason looked so young in those pictures. So small and adorable— and Tim wasn’t sure if his smile was sincere but he realized he hadn’t seen Jason happy in a long time. He felt guilty, maybe Tim should’ve done something. Several papers of his parents were stacked in the carton too, as well as old report cards from Jason’s school, and— a birth certificate.

One that had the name of Jason’s mother scribbled out except for the ’S’ at the beginning. Tim immediately placed all the pieces together. Jason found out his mother, Catherine Todd wasn’t his birth mother. And he was searching for her!

He searched through the rest of the things and found an address book of his father, in which three women were listed whose names started with ’S’. There was a lead. Tim took the book and was ready to go down to run some searches on the Batcomputer but his eyes wandered to Jason’s computer on his table. He didn’t use it that often because the system of the Batcomputer was better and had more programs but Tim knew he used it to write to Eddie.

Maybe there was other information on there as well… Tim booted it up and got annoyed at how slow it was. All the money in the world and Bruce didn’t buy Jason a faster computer. Tim felt horrible for a moment for spying on Jason but Jason was the one that left him without saying anything.

It didn’t take Tim long to get into Jason’s history even after the boy had done his best to delete his traces. He was good but he wasn’t as good as Tim with computers. Tim clicked on Jason’s E-mail account, there was a new one in his inbox. From [KID_devil@web.com](mailto:KID_devil@web.com).

Tim made a face. He should be happy that Jason found a friend at the Teen Titans. He had once told Tim that he felt he wasn’t exactly one of them, not like how Dick had been with his team. Tim clicked on the mail.

> _ Hey Robin! _
> 
> _ I’m sorry I can’t write much because I’m traveling with my Aunt again. I’ll tell you all about it once we meet again. The thing with your mother sounds crazy! I hope you find her. Please update me and stay safe! And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me! _
> 
> _ Eddie. _

Tim sat back. Jason told Eddie but not Tim. He told this other boy he had only known for barely a year and not Tim. His oldest friend, his best friend. At least Tim thought he was. Tim clicked on the Outbox to see the E-Mail Jason had sent Eddie and immediately exited it after skimming through it.

Angrily, he shut the computer down.

He knew he wasn’t a hero, not like Jason or any of the Teen Titans. He knew he couldn’t help out, not really. But he thought… Jason didn’t care about that. He thought Jason trusted him but apparently, Tim had been wrong about that.

The tears that were forming in Tim’s eyes were tears of anger and sadness at the same time. Tim breathed in and out and wiped his tears away with the sleeve of his shirt. Then, he grabbed the address book and went down to the Batcave.

* * *

 

Bruce refused to take Tim with him until he ran off on his own to the airport and Bruce had to carry him away from departing on his own. He decided it was better to bring Tim with him in the end and supervise him.

Tim was bored out of his mind now waiting in the hotel room in Beirut. Apparently, two of the three women that could be Jason’s mother were currently in this city: Sharmin Rosen and Shiva Wu-San. Bruce told him not to go out on his own and to wait for him to come back with Tim but he was so impatient.

Maybe Jason was right. Maybe Tim had to get out there too. He always thought he was better sitting behind a computer but he hated having to wait, not knowing how and where Jason was. He hated just having to sit around even if Bruce wasn’t out as Batman. It was frustrating!

The door to the hotel room opened and there he was. Jason, followed by Bruce. Tim only noticed now how Jason wasn’t even that much smaller than Bruce now. He fell over Jason’s, hugged him tightly.

"Jay!"

"Hey, Tim…" Jason’s voice was sad but he hugged Tim back. Then Tim remembered he was actually mad at Jason and pushed him away.

"Bruce," he said. "Can you leave us alone?"

Bruce cleared his throat. "Okay." He nodded and left them, closing the door behind them.

"Why are you here?" Jason asked.

"Why am I here?! You just left!"

"You know why I left. I had to," Jason said.

"I do. I know and I understand it. Of course, you have to leave— I would’ve too. But why didn’t you tell me anything?" Tim shouted. "I had to find out through Bruce that you ran away! I thought we’re best friends!"

Jason stared at him with wide eyes and then looked down. "Tim—"

Tim’s heart ached, it hurt so much just thinking about what he had been through the last week. "You left me. You left me alone! Without saying anything! I thought you trusted me! Are we not best friends? Were you even going to come back?"

"Of course! Of course, babybird."

Tim shook his head and crossed his arms. "No. You told Kid Devil but not me. It looks like you got a new best friend."

Jason opened his mouth but nothing came out.

"I get it. I could never measure up with your cool superhero friends. I don’t understand what it’s like, right? I could never. You couldn’t trust me as you trust him because I’m just Tim. I’m not… I’m not a hero or anything." Tim started to cry again and he hated it. He didn’t want to cry, not when he was so angry right now.

"That’s not it! Tim, please. I’m sorry!"

Tim huffed and turned around, trying to hide how much he was crying. He quickly wiped away his tears but his sobs gave him away. Jason put a hand on Tim’s shoulders gently.

"Please, babybird. I’m sorry. I do trust you."

"I don’t believe you anymore," Tim said quietly. "I want to help you, Jay. I’ve always wanted to help you. When you fought with Bruce too. I always thought… you could always come to me."

"I know," Jason said gently and hugged Tim to his chest.

"I’m a bad friend," Tim cried. "Just say it. I’m a bad friend that’s why you don’t trust me."

"No, of course not. I won’t do anything like that anymore, okay? Please forgive me."

Tim didn’t say anything but he hugged Jason back around his waist.

* * *

 

Tim refused to go home even though both Jason and Bruce told him to.

He wouldn’t leave Jason again even if it just meant sitting around in yet another hotel, this time in another country. Ethiopia was hot and Tim was sitting in just shorts and a T-Shirt while he let the cold air of a fan hit his face and eating a popsicle. At the same time, he looked over to the laptop that he brought with him. It was one he and Barbara had worked on together and worked pretty well. He set it up to keep an eye on both Jason and Bruce on their search for the last woman on the list, Dr. Sheila Haywood.

There, unfortunately, weren’t any security cameras he could access like in Gotham, so he had to settle with the few more from outside the refugee camp where Dr. Haywood was at the moment.

He spotted a green van coming closer. It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary but Tim was so bored and it was the only car that had arrived ever since Bruce and Jason came so he just looked at it and zoomed in.

Wait… that was Joker. What was he doing here?!

Tim dropped the popsicle and his hands immediately went to the keyboard. He couldn’t be here for no reason. This was the Joker, after all. He tried to contact Bruce and Jason to warn them but the signal was too weak. Damn it!

He had to go out there and help them. But… how?

He couldn’t just waltz in, he was just a kid. Tim’s eyes dropped to the suitcase of Jason that was lying on top of his hotel bed. He stepped closer to it and opened it, taking out a spare Robin suit. It was way too big for Tim, but it’ll do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll see more of Eddie in this fic because I love him and I'll be forever bitter how pre52 Eddie and Robin!Jay were friends and then DC just forgot about it.... :(


	14. Everyday I Need You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I upped the chapter count AGAIN (can you believe it started with 20 and now I'm at 27)

Jason was going to die with Tim hating him.

He didn’t _hate_ him but he still hadn’t explicitly said that he forgave Jason. He was more distant ever since and went back to his old quiet self. But Jason wasn’t used to that Tim. He was so used to the open Tim that laughed at his jokes and smiled so brightly it warmed Jason’s heart. People wouldn’t usually use 'sun' to describe Tim, that was something fitting for bright and open people like Dick. But for Jason, Tim really was his own personal little sun.

And Tim blamed himself for what Jason did. It wasn’t his fault, none of this was. Without Tim, Jason was sure he wouldn’t even have been able to last so long in the Manor with Bruce. Tim was always there whenever Jason fought with Bruce and he was there to patch him up and— Jason really loved him and now he fucked it up and Tim didn’t trust him anymore.

Oh, and he was going to die and he will never be able to fix it. _Or tell him._

He couldn’t die like this. Jason was a survivor, he wouldn’t die. He _refused_ to die. He pushed himself up but with all the blood he had lost, the broken bones that he probably had right now, it was impossible for him to get up.

"Jason!" Sheila shouted. Jason didn’t know if he should refer to her as 'mother' in his head. "You’re still alive!"

He glanced over at the bomb Joker had put. Two minutes left.

"The bomb! You have to deactivate it!"

Jason fell down again, slurring his next words. "I’m… in no shape… to handle… that." Okay, maybe he was going to die. But Sheila— _his mother—_ couldn’t. She could still survive. After everything she did, she was still his mother and Jason needed her to live. And he was still Robin. Saving people is what he did.

"Gotta get you out of there," he panted, crawling from the ground to her. "I’ll save you… mom." His hands were shaking as he untied her. He wasn’t exactly sure what happened later. He collapsed on the ground again but his mother dragged him up. She carried him as best as she could with one of his arms slouched around her shoulders and her hand on his waist, to the exit.

"The door is locked!" she screamed.

 _Oh, so this is it._ He was going to die. Tim will be alone now. Jason didn’t want to leave Tim alone, not him. He never had the chance to tell him he loved him and—

The door opened and there was… _Robin?_

"Jason!" Robin grabbed Jason and carried him out, dragging him with him.

And then, the bomb went off.

 

* * *

 

 

Jason woke up several times and drifted back into sleep but every time he woke up, there was Tim next to him. Sometimes, he spoke but Jason couldn’t register his words, other times the boy was just sitting next to him, asleep.

When he finally woke up for more than just a minute, Tim gasped.

"Jason! You’re awake! Bruce!" he shouted. "Bruce! Jason’s awake!"

"Babybird," Jason whispered. "What happened?"

"You don’t remember?"

Jason closed his eyes again. Everything hurt so much it was hard to concentrate on what happened. He tried to remember, his mother, Joker, how she betrayed him, the bomb, _Robin._ "That was you, wasn’t it? Robin?"

Tim smiled softly. "I… yeah," he admitted and shrugged. "I had to get you."

"Thank you." Jason smiled and Tim took his hand. "Don’t cry."

"I’m not crying." It looked like Tim was going to cry again. Jason knew that look on his face. He hated himself for how much he had been making his best friend cry lately.

"I’m sorry," Jason said.

"What are you sorry for?"

So many things went through his mind but he couldn’t say any of them. "What happened to my mother?"

Tim’s expression dropped. "I—"

"Tim. What happened to her?"

"I’m so sorry, Jason. She died from her injuries."

Now it was Jason who was crying. He just had her again. Even though she went behind his back and practically sold him off to the Joker, she was still his mother. The only family he had left. And now she was dead. It was his fault. If he hadn’t been there, Joker probably would’ve spared her. He hadn’t been able to save her, he was so useless. So, so useless. He put everyone in danger. His mother, himself, Tim.

Behind Tim, Bruce and Alfred appeared.

"Jason, son—"

"Don’t call me that," Jason snapped at him. "Don’t."

 

* * *

 

His relationship to Bruce was strained. Jason didn’t want to talk to him but that wasn’t because he didn’t have things to say. He actually had a lot of things to say to the man, he just didn’t know how to say them.

He was lying in the bed for over a month until he was even able to leave it and even then it would take even longer for him to get back on the streets.

Tim came over often, always there to help Jason whenever he could. And Jason… He hated it. He hated being vulnerable like this. Yes, Tim was his best friend but he felt like shit being so weak and having Tim take care of him. Tim wasn’t supposed to see him like this, not this weak, not being able to get up, not being able to walk around alone anywhere.

One day, Jason tried to get out of his bed. He staggered, made two steps and fell. He crashed on the ground. He tried to get up and failed and that frustrated him even more.

"Jason!" Tim shouted as he walked by Jason’s room. He ran over to Jason. "Are you okay?"

Jason didn’t reply. He was _angry._ No, he was frustrated.

Tim gently tried to help him up. "Don’t touch me!" Jason shouted.

"Jay—"

"Don’t. Don’t touch me," Jason repeated and slapped Tim’s hand away. The look on Tim’s face was so full of sadness. And Jason couldn’t stand it, not from Bruce _or_ Tim.

"Please, let me help you."

"No." Jason pushed himself up from the ground. "Go away."

"Don’t do this, Jay," Tim pleaded.

Jason could feel tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "Go away, Tim. I don’t want to see you." He turned his face away from Tim, he didn’t want to see Tim’s expression right now. He hated that he hurt Tim but he really couldn’t stand him right now.

Tim got up and left the room. After that, Jason told Alfred he didn’t want to see Tim anymore.

And Jason felt even worse about that. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Tim, he just didn’t want Tim to see _him_. He wanted to see Tim, god, he missed him so much especially now that he was always lying alone on his bed without Tim to entertain him. His Tim, that would always drop by after school, tell Jason what happened today, and bring Jason some books, sometimes reading them out loud for him.

Of course, Jason missed him. He loved him, after all.

* * *

 

Dick came over to visit him sometimes. He’d help Jason out of his bed and onto the wheelchair he had to use for the time being and go on a stroll with him. Mostly just around the Wayne Manor estate because Jason refused to go out. Dick would just talk and Jason would listen. Listen about what was happening in Gotham, what Dick’s been up to as Nightwing, and at some time, Jason snapped at him. He didn’t want to hear any of this.

And Barbara came over as well and seeing her made Jason even angrier. She knew more than anyone else what Jason was going through. She had suffered under that clown’s hands as well. And yet Joker was still breathing.

He hated how the world just went on without him. It was like Jason Todd died in that explosion. Everything just kept going, Gotham continued to be shit, Bruce continued to be Batman, and Joker was still out there while his mother was dead and buried ten feet under the ground. But it wasn’t entirely wrong, part of Jason really died that day. And he’ll never be the same again.

 

* * *

 

"Alfred told me you asked me to visit you," Tim said after knocking against Jason’s door. He stepped into the room, his eyes big and cautious, while he was fumbling with the hem of his shirt.

"Yeah." Jason turned around to him. It’s been a month since he saw Tim, probably the longest time they’ve ever been apart. Tim had written him letters and given them Alfred, which he then gave Jason. It was the only thing that kept him going but he still hadn’t been ready to face his best friend. At least, he didn’t have to use a wheelchair anymore but he was using crutches.

"How are you?" Tim asked.

Jason shrugged. "Feel like shit," he said.

"Jay…"

"Come here." Jason made his way towards his bed and dropped the crutches before he sat down. Tim hesitated at first but then sat down next to Jason. "I’m sorry."

"Jason! You don’t need to be sorry."

"I do. I pushed you away, you just wanted to help."

"I’m not angry at you or anything. I understand it." Tim took Jason’s hand and placed it on his lap. His eyes were resting on their linked hands. "I just missed you a lot, Jay."

Jason’s shoulders relaxed. "Me too," he whispered. "I missed you a lot too, babybird."

Tim smiled at him and it warmed Jason’s heard. "Alfred told me you’ve been improving."

"Yeah." Jason shrugged. "I have to take physiotherapy classes now, starting tomorrow."

"Do you— do you need my help?"

Jason shook his head. "No, I got it." He needed to do it himself. He didn’t know why, but he needed to prove to himself that he was able to get up all on his own. That Joker hadn’t killed him completely that day, that he there was still the fighting spirit of Robin somewhere that could rise from anything.

"Okay." Tim rested his head against Jason’s shoulder. "You’ll be fine again."

"I will."

"And then you can be Robin again!"

Jason looked away.

 

* * *

 

 

 _Robin_. He didn’t even want to be Robin anymore.

When Tim left that night, Jason took out a little notebook he had put in his bedside table. Even before all this, Jason had played with the idea of taking another alias. Even without him almost dying, Jason wouldn’t have wanted to stay being Robin. His fights with Bruce weren’t baseless, he had been sick of being that man’s sidekick.

And now he was sick of Gotham.

He didn’t want to stay here anymore. Not when Joker was out there. Jason wanted to kill him, for what he did to him, to his mother, to Barbara, to anyone else in the world. To Tim, years ago, at the Zoo.

Fucking _Joker_. He was part of all problems.

Jason opened the notebook, grabbed a pen and started scribbling new ideas.

He will show that fucker. He will find him and put a bullet through that clown’s head. He’d shoot him. One bullet for what Joker did to him, another one for his mother, one for Barbara, one for Tim, and one last one for all his other victims.

Not just Joker. There were too many scums in Gotham and they all should pay. He wasn’t just Robin, not the Boy Wonder anymore. Jason wanted to paint the entire city red. _Red_. 

His pen cracked while he was angrily scribbling and he held his breath.

 _What was he thinking_?

 

* * *

 

It took a long while until Jason finally talked with Bruce, despite the man’s attempts to talk to him. They were absolutely horrible to watch, Bruce was the last person to open himself up. But Jason had to talk to him.

He walked down the Batcave where Bruce was sitting at the computer after he came back from Patrol.

"Jason? Why are you still awake?" Bruce asked when he saw Jason, even standing up from his chair.

Jason eyed the other man. "I wanted to talk to you," he said.

"Of course." Bruce’ voice was gentle but Jason didn’t care. He sat down on another chair next to Bruce and gestured for the man to sit down as well. "How are you?"

"I’ll be able to walk without these again soon," Jason said and sat down, putting his crutches away. It had been months now and he was sick of them.

"Alfred told me."

Jason shifted in his seat. "What will happen afterwards?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I can go on the streets again. Will I be Robin again?"

Bruce stared at him. "If you wish to be."

"No, let’s not pretend whatever was between us before I almost died didn’t happen. We both know you don’t want me as Robin."

"I never said that," Bruce countered.

"You didn’t need to." Jason glared at him. He knew he wasn’t Dick, the perfect Boy Wonder. The past months had made him understand that he actually didn’t want to be. "It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to be Robin anymore."

"What do you want, Jason?"

"I want to kill Joker."

"Jason—"

"I want him to die. And all these other sick people on the streets," Jason continued.

"That is not our way," Bruce said. Jason breathed in.

"I know. Doesn’t change the fact that I want to do it. I thought about it for a long time, you know? And I know I can’t change your damn mind. You’re stubborn. Not even what he did to me and Babs changed your mind about it," Jason said.

Bruce’ jaw clenched. "What do you want to say?"

"I can’t stay here," Jason said. "I hate it here. I feel like the longer I stay in Gotham, the worse it gets."

Bruce blinked. "You want to leave Gotham?"

"Yes," Jason said. "It’s not just about what I want. I _can’t_ stay." He clenched his fist, feeling his fingernails digging into his skin. He didn’t want to think about what he might do if he stayed. What he would become.

"Where do you want to go?"

Jason shrugged. "I don’t know yet," he admitted.

"What about Tim? You’re close."

 _Tim._ "You don’t need to tell me that," Jason said. He always thought of his best friend.

"Jason, son, if you think leaving Gotham is the best for you, I will support it." Jason was surprised. "Even if you don’t see me as your father, you will always be my son."

Jason didn’t know what to say. "You _are_ my father," he said with a quiet voice. Be it a good one or not, that was debatable. Jason didn’t even know how he felt towards Bruce. There were anger and resentment but right now he just felt broken. He didn’t know what to think of _anyone_. "But I don’t think at the end of the day it really makes a difference."

Because Bruce was his father, and Jason was his son, and Jason still wasn’t important enough. He wondered if anything would’ve been different if Jason had died that day. He doubted it.

 

 


	15. Frozen

It took almost five months for Jason to heal.

Tim was with his parents again, so there was no one in the manor except him, Alfred and Bruce.

After his talk with Bruce, he called Tim to come over. The young boy was smiling at him when he came into Jason’s bedroom.

Tim, his little sunshine. Jason still couldn’t wrap his mind around Tim being the one who saved him in Jason’s own god damn Robin suit. He wished, he would remember it better. Probably barely fit into it, though he had grown recently.

"Hey, Jay! Heard you’re up on your feet again," Tim said. Then, he stared at Jason’s bed on which a huge suitcase was, filled to the brim with clothes, books, and other stuff. "What is this?"

"I talked to Bruce," Jason said. "I’m leaving."

"You’re… what?"

Jason closed the suitcase. "I can’t stay here anymore, Tim," he explained. "I can’t be Robin."

"What?" Tim breathed out.

"You know where it got me. You know even before that happened— weeks, no, months. I haven’t been a good fit anymore."

"What kind of bullshit!" Tim shouted. "You’re Robin. You’re good at it, I know it!"

Jason smiled. "I know you believe in me. Always did, even if nobody else did. Even if I didn’t."

"Where are you going?"

Jason shrugged. "First to the Titans Tower, I think."

"As Robin?"

"No," Jason said. "I’ll come up with something new there. I already actually got some ideas…"

"How long have you been planning this?" Tim asked.

Jason scratched the back of his head. "A month? Maybe longer?"

Tim’s eyes were cold. "You’ve planned this for so long and didn’t tell me? _Again_?"

"Tim—" Jason sighed. "I don’t want to leave you. I asked you over to… I want to ask you if you want to come with me."

Tim blinked. He was surprised by that question, even took a step back. "What? You want me to come with you? To the Teen Titans?"

"Yeah."

"But I’m— I’m not a hero."

"You saved me. I think you are a hero," Jason said.

"No, no. I’m…"

"You’ve been training for years. I don’t know anyone smarter and more determined than you. You could totally do it," Jason insisted and smiled. He took Tim’s hand. "Remember? When we used to talk about being a superhero duo? You and me, against the rest of the world. It’s always been like that, right? Let’s do it. Let’s run away together."

Tim dropped his gaze to their hands. "Jay…"

"I know we could do it," Jason said. "What is holding you here? Gotham’s a pile of shit. I need to get out of here. And your parents— just say you’re going to a school abroad or something. We’ll figure something out." They always have.

"You’re just going to be with the Teen Titans forever?"

"Nah," Jason said. "I don’t know. Probably not. Maybe build something up for my own. My own team or something."

"Does Eddie know?"

"What?"

"He does, doesn’t he? You told him again and not me!"

,"I’m telling you now!"

Tim took his hand back. "You don’t need me, Jason. You have him."

"Are you still mad about that?" Jason shouted. "It’s not that I like him better or anything or trust him more! He’s just—"

"What, your closest superhero friend?"

"No. He’s not you."

"Wow." Tim huffed. "Thank you."

"I didn’t mean that!" Jason groaned and ran his hand through his hair. "I couldn’t tell you. Months ago even before the explosion. I hated it whenever I fought with Bruce and you had to see it. I didn’t want you to see that. Not _you_. I didn’t want you to see me so— vulnerable and weak. That’s why I sent you away when you found me on the ground."

Tim gasped. "Jay, you’re not weak. I never thought you’re weak."

"I know. You always saw me as the _Robin_. Your hero! I can’t be Robin! I’m not that— I’m not the perfect little Robin anymore. No, I never was. I can’t live up to your expectations!" Jason cried out. He tried so best to be good, for Tim and Bruce. He was sick of living up to their expectations, he knew he couldn’t. And talking to Eddie was easy because he didn’t really have any expectations for Jason, and he wasn’t in love with Eddie. Tim, on the other hand… Jason loved him so much even if he knew it was a useless love that will never be reciprocated.

"I’m so sorry," Tim whispered. "I didn’t know you thought that way."

"It’s not your fault." Jason sighed. "So, what will you say? Are you coming with me?"

Tim’s eyes met his. So big and bright, the same shade of light blue like his mother except so much more lovable. They were beautiful. "I can’t."

"Oh."

"Please, Jay. Stay."

Jason winced. "Tim," _I love you,_ "I can’t. Don’t say this, you know it’ll make it harder for me if you want me to stay."

"But Batman needs a Robin!"

Jason clenched his fist. "Batman," he spat out. "It’s always Batman. _Batman, Batman, Batman._ Fuck Batman. Where was he when I almost died? Why did _you_ have to be there to save me? Look at what he’s doing. Look at Gotham. Joker killed my mother, Tim, and he’s still out there! Alive! He should be dead. Just like every other scum in Gotham."

"You can’t possibly mean that," Tim whispered.

Jason gritted his teeth and flashed Tim a bitter smile. "What if I do, babybird? What will you do?"

"But— it’s not the way."

"Maybe I want another way."

"Jason!"

"I don’t care. You can stay if you want," Jason said.

"Do you not remember how we started all of this?" Tim shouted. "We made you Robin because he needed one. You might think he’s not helping, but he is. Batman is a _symbol_. Just like Robin, or Superman, or Nightwing. It’s not just a symbol of the law, it’s a symbol of _justice._ Batman needs a Robin. No matter what he _thinks_ he wants."

Jason blinked. He knew Tim’s sense of justice was strong but he didn’t know he was like this.

"Justice," Jason said after a while, "is me putting a bullet through the Joker’s head. Justice is not something you can have in Gotham. And… look, babybird. I don’t want this either. I hate it. But all the anger that fuels in me right now… I can’t stay here. Gotham isn’t good for me. I need a break from this."

Tim let his head fall. "So you’re leaving?"

"Yeah. With or without you, I’ll go." He just really wished, it would’ve been with. He took the suitcase from his bed and hauled it down. It was way heavier than it looked like. But Jason wasn’t exactly sure, for how long he’d be gone. Maybe forever.

"Jason," Tim said.

"Look, if you believe so much in Robin, why don’t you become Robin?" He didn’t want anyone else to put themselves in danger while being Robin ever again, especially not Tim but Jason knew him. He couldn’t ever stop him from doing what he thought was right anyway.

"What?"

Jason shrugged. "Remember how I became Robin? I just put on the suit to save your ass from Joker." Then, he smiled. "And you did the same."

"But—"

"No protesting. Come here." Jason spread his arms and Tim let out a cry before he fell into Jason’s arms and hugged him. He pulled him so close to his body and didn’t let go for a long time, not knowing when he’ll ever have Tim in his arms again. And the good thing was, Tim didn’t pull away either.

 

* * *

 

 

 

"Isn’t that your friend?" Eddie asked.

Jason stared at the TV of their shared place. Yes, that was indeed his little bird on the screen. He still resented Batman and Robin but seeing Tim with a bright smile on his face, running around and jumping down a building made Jason smile as well. He was happy for him, considering the last time they saw each other, Tim had done his best to not cry.

"Yeah," he said with pride swelling up his chest. The headlines talked about Batman and Robin stopping a bank robbery. He missed Tim, so much. He had been so long in Jason’s life and they saw each other almost every day for three years straight. It was so weird to be apart from him, even after three months, Jason wasn’t used to it.

"New Robin, huh. He’s small."

Jason laughed. "Yeah, he’s way too scrawny. But he could take you out easily."

"Hey!"

Jason leaned back and grinned at him. "You wanna keep watching TV or get ready for our mission?"

Eddie huffed and turned off the TV. "Okay, what do I gotta know?" His little devil’s tail went up in excitement, just like a dog.

"Some guy called Ravager," Jason explained. Eddie never really bothered with detective work or reading files. He wasn’t raised and trained by Batman, he just went straight in with force to get the job done. "Wade LaFarge."

"And?"

"He’s related to Deathstroke," Jason continued. Eddie’s eyes widened. "The Teen Titans got an anonymous tip about him going to attack a family. I took the mission." It had been a while since he left them and he was actually surprised when Eddie decided to go with him. "Throw me my guns."

Eddie sighed and grabbed the guns from the table, throwing them towards Jason. He caught them mid-air and strapped them on his holsters. They had rubber bullets but those still hurt like a bitch and did their job.

Jason smiled. "Let’s go."

Eddie got up from the couch. "You know what we should do? Come up with a cool name for our team," he said. "Something better than Teen Titans."

"We’re only two people," Jason pointed out.

"Yeah, but we could _recruit_ people."

Jason hummed. "Yeah, let’s see about that. Come up with a better name than _Kid_ Devil first."

There was not a single day Jason didn’t think about Tim but seeing him out there as Robin happy and himself being actually pretty happy with how he was in his life right now… Jason could live with this.

 

* * *

 

 

Jason could hear Rose approaching. He turned around to see the girl leaning against the doorframe. She was wearing nothing but an over-sized shirt, revealing her bare legs.

"Is that my shirt?" Jason asked.

She smiled. "Yes."

"Be careful. If Eddie could see you like this the fire would fume out of his mouth," Jason joked.

Rose rolled her eyes and jumped on the couch next to Jason. She draped her legs over Jason’s lap and leaned back. Rose was the newest (and actually only) addition to their group. They picked her up after the former Ravager killed her foster family.

He was glad she wasn’t asking him why he was still awake. He guessed it was for the same reason she was still awake; They both had monsters hunting them in their dreams.

"Why do you always watch that?" Rose asked, pointing to the TV screen. Like always, the channel was showing the Gotham News.

"You know why," Jason replied.

"No. I don’t think you’re watching this because you used to be Robin," Rose said. Jason stared at her.

"You’re right," he said.

"It’s about the new Robin, right?"

"He’s my best friend," Jason said quietly.

"You watch him on the news almost every day. Why don’t you just, I don’t know? Pick up your phone and call him? Quitting being Robin doesn’t mean you have to stop talking to him," Rose said. "To be fair, I don’t understand how you Bats operate, but unless you both parted ways in a fight, I don’t see a problem here."

Jason held his breath. She was right. "I can’t."

"You’re insufferable."

Jason chuckled quietly.

"You obviously miss him. Watching him on the news won’t make it better, you know?" Rose pointed out. "I’m just saying. I don’t care for your emotional stuff but it makes me want to puke seeing you like this. People _fear_ you."

"I’m scared of calling him," Jason said. "I feel like if I ever do, I’d drop everything and just run back to Gotham." Run back into Tim’s arms.

Rose seemed surprised. "Wow. The infamous Red Hood saying _such_ cheesy things. Who would’ve thought he was absolutely whipped for a certain Boy Wonder?"

Jason blushed. "I’m not—"

Rose grinned widely. "Right, you’re totally _not_ in love with your best friend."

"Shut up." Jason turned away from her.

"Can’t blame you. He seems cute."

Jason sighed. He was. But he knew Rose was right, watching Tim on the news really didn’t help him at all. It just made it worse and he was already missing him so much. But he couldn’t return, not yet. One day though, one day he’ll come back to him. Jason took the remote and turned off the TV.

"Guys!" The door from Eddie’s bedroom opened. "What the fuck?" He stared at Rose and Jason and how Rose was wearing nothing but Jason’s shirt, having her naked legs thrown over Jason’s lap. "Oh. Am I… interrupting?"

"No," Jason said and pushed Rose’ legs off his lap. "What is it?"

"I just had a cool dream."

"What the fuck, you ran out of your room at 3 am to tell us about your dream?" Jason shouted.

"It was a really good dream."

Rose burst out in laughter. "Humor me."

Eddie blinked, staring at the white-haired girl. It was so obvious that he had a crush on her. He cleared his throat and raised his arms. "Behold, I finally came up with a name for our group: The Lawless."

"That sounds stupid," Jason said.

"It sounds kind of cool, actually," Rose admitted.

Eddie grinned and wiggled with his tail excitedly. "I know, right?"

"How about… the Outlaws?" Jason suggested.

"Damn! That’s even better!" Eddie cried out.

Rose smiled and stood up. "Okay, let’s have a drink! To The Outlaws!"

"Rose, you and Eddie are like fifteen," Jason said.

Rose stuck out her tongue at him.

Jason missed Tim more than anything in the world but… with Rose and Eddie at his side, it was more bearable.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed up Rose whole timeline as well. I ust wanted her on the team.  
> Rose/Eddie/Jay is a trio I wish we would've gotten but DC is stupid


	16. Eclipse

**ONE YEAR LATER**

Jason watched his little bird from afar.

He wasn’t that little any more but no matter how tall Tim will end up being, he will always stay his babybird. It sounded pretty damn cheesy but maybe Jason was just like that. Besides, he hadn’t seen Tim in over a year, he was allowed to be cheesy.

Tim handled the bo staff with grace. Jason never would’ve thought of using a staff as his choice of weapon but he also never thought he’d run around with at least two guns with rubber bullets. Life just was funny in a way.

Jason always knew Tim would be a good hero. He had a sense of justice, he was pretty damn smart with that nerd and detective brain of his, he was determined. Yes, he had to train twice as hard as Jason but Tim was stubborn. And as far as Jason knew, he had trained with Lady Shiva. The same woman he once thought was his mother. It felt like a lifetime ago, even if it had been just about one and a half year since their meeting.

Tim was on his own right now, fighting what looked like three criminals at the same time. Jason would’ve stepped in but Tim seemed to be handling himself pretty well. He was a good Robin, Jason thought. Better than he was. He wasn’t angry about it, he was pretty proud of Tim. He knew what Tim had to do to get here.

Once all men lied on the ground, Tim finally put down his staff and allowed himself to breathe.

That was his cue.

Jason jumped down from his hiding spot and landed a few feet behind Tim with a big thud. "Nice job, babybird."

Tim snapped his head around. "Jay!" he shouted, dropped his staff and ran towards Jason. He almost threw Jason to the ground with the force he hugged Jason.

Jason laughed. "Easy there," he said and hugged Tim back.

This was Tim. His best friend, the boy he loved. He smelt just like Jason remembered. Hugging Tim… it felt like coming home. Not crossing the Gotham border an hour ago, no, right here in Tim’s arms, that was when Jason felt at home.

"You’re back! I didn’t— I didn’t know you were going to be back." Tim stepped back and looked up at Jason.

God, he became so pretty. Jason couldn’t see much of his face, considering the stupid domino mask hid his pretty eyes, but he liked what he saw. "Yeah," Jason said and smiled. "I’m back."

"Does Bruce know?"

"Nope. Alfred does though, I called him before I came here," Jason replied.

"Are you… will you come with us? To the manor?" Tim was smiling at him still and Jason wanted nothing more than lean down and kiss him.

"Yeah," he said. "It’s your birthday after all."

"Right." Tim laughed softly. "I… uh…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing. Let’s go home."

_Home._

 

* * *

 

It felt like no time has passed between them. Like they didn’t part a year ago, fighting back tears of frustration. Like Tim wasn’t now… so fucking handsome. His eyes were so big and bright, with long lashes, and his body was more muscular now. Not like Jason, leaner, but he was— Jason had to stop himself from staring too much.

"So… I got you a present."

"You didn’t have to! Just you being here is enough!"

"Nah, I already missed your last birthday." He grabbed in his jacket and placed the little gift on Tim’s lap. "It’s… kind of embarrassing."

"Trust me, Bruce gave me the talk to my birthday I think it can’t be more embarrassing than that."

Jason laughed. "Okay, you win."

Tim grinned and opened the present carefully. It was neatly wrapped and Tim tried his best to not ruin it. "What is that?" It was a little box.

"I went on a mission once," Jason explained. "Magical stuff. With fucking Constantine. Anyway, we met a magician and for helping him he gave me a gift. It’s… it’s a little box that when you open it plays your fondest memory."

It sounded stupid, Jason realized, as he said it out loud. He could feel how hot his face was right now.

Tim stared at him with big eyes. "Is your fondest memory with me?"

"Of course, dumbass."

Tim rolled his eyes and opened the box. Jason couldn’t see it, only the person opening it could see it but he knew exactly what it was. It was the night in the Batcave when Jason went out as Robin for the first time. He was jumping around the Cave and grabbed Tim up from his seat, dancing and jumping around with the younger male to celebrate Jason’s first night out.

"Thank you, Jay," Tim whispered and closed the box. "It’s beautiful."

Jason smiled. "You’re welcome. So… the talk, huh?"

Tim winced. "Yeah. You warned me about it but I didn’t think Bruce would do that for me as well. It was so awkward."

Jason laughed. He remembered when Bruce gave him 'The Talk'. It had been really embarrassing and horrible for both of them. Dick later assured him that he had gone through it as well.

"Anyway, enough about that. Tell me about your team. Tell me about the Outlaws!"

Jason shrugged, not knowing what to say. "They’re cool. I mean… I’m back. For good now."

"Really? You’ll stay?"

When Tim looked at him like that, of course, Jason couldn’t say no. "Yes," he said. "Rose’ on a mission. And Eddie’s actually here as well. He’s in holing himself up, you know how Bruce feels about metas in Gotham."

"I forgot he literally looks like the Devil," Tim said with a giggle.

Jason grinned. "I think you know Zachary Zatanna already. He’s more like an honorary member of us that drops by sometimes whenever we’re in trouble and then complains but still comes whenever we ask. They want to meet you but you don’t need to. Really, they’re embarrassing." He could already imagine how Rose will pester Tim. He had never said out loud that he liked Tim, but he didn’t need to.

"I want to meet them! They’re your best friends after all!"

"No, that’s you."

Tim blushed. It was such a pretty color on his face. "You too. I’m glad you’re back now. Are you… going to live in the manor again?"

"I don’t know. Maybe. I wanna go back to school too." He had been taking online classes but school didn’t sound that bad. Besides, Tim was going to go to High School next year too, right? He wouldn’t be alone. "What about your team? The Young Justice?" Jason asked.

"Oh, they really want to meet you too!"

"I met Wonder Girl once," Jason said. She and Rose really didn’t get along.

Tim laughed. "Yeah, I think Cassie told me about that. They’re nice, I swear."

Jason smiled. "You’re happy, I’m glad."

"You too. I… going away from Gotham was the right decision then. I was worried at first but I’m really happy."

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Hated being away from you though."

"You could’ve visited."

Jason nibbled on his bottom lip. "I know," he said. "I was scared that when I see you again, I’d come back." He was just weak to Tim. He knew being away from Gotham did him well but just seeing Tim would make him pack his stuff in a second and run back to the city that made him sick.

Not anymore though. He actually kind of liked being back.

Tim’s watch beeped. "Crap, I have to get back."

"Back?"

"My parents," he explained. Jason always forgot they still existed. "Let’s meet tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay." Now that he was back, Jason could see him every day again.

"Want to patrol with me? And Spoiler?"

"Who’s Spoiler?"

Tim hesitated. "She’s a friend." Jason perked his eyebrow and Tim shrugged. "Her name’s Stephanie Brown, father is Cluemaster." Jason remembered the name. One of the many costumed villains Batman had. "She doesn’t know my identity by the way. But she’s— she’s nice."

Oh, there it was again. The light pink shades on Tim’s cheeks. "You like her," Jason stated.

"I— She doesn’t even know who I am."

"She knows Robin." Jason’s voice was cold, with no emotions.

"I mean, I kinda… I don’t know," Tim said. "We talk. I have no idea what she thinks of me. I think she likes me but…"

Of course, Tim would find someone else. He was fifteen now, at that age teenagers just fell for someone else. Tim wasn’t in love with Jason. He just saw Jason as a good friend, and that was it. When he missed Jason, he didn’t miss Jason in the way Jason missed Tim. He didn’t want to kiss Jason and hold his hand forever.

"She likes you too," Jason said.

"How’d you know?"

"You’re Tim," Jason explained. "You’re… nice and funny. You’re _Robin_. You’re so smart and so fucking pretty. Anyone would be happy to have you."

If not, Jason will pay that Spoiler girl a visit himself. She better like him back and not break Tim’s heart. He wondered what kind of girl she was. Probably not someone like Jason, someone broken and with crooked morals. Someone who had never crossed the line and killed a man, not like Jason had.

Tim seemed flustered but he was smiling brightly. "Thank you, Jay," he said. "Let’s talk more tomorrow. Good night!"

"Night, babybird."

 

* * *

 

 

Two days later, Jason met with Dick at a little diner.

He already ordered pancakes for himself when Dick entered the place.

Jason made a face upon seeing the older male in his police uniform. "Really? Couldn’t change your clothes?" he asked. Dick rolled his eyes and pulled Jason into a hug.

"I’m on duty later again," he explained. "It’s good to see you— damn. You’re _taller_ than me now?!"

Jason grinned. It wasn’t a big difference, maybe just two inches, but he was proud of being taller than Dick. "Yeah, going to beat Bruce next, just wait."

Dick laughed and sat behind the stall. A waiter came up to them, one that especially batted her eyelashes at Dick. Jason wasn’t too surprised at that, almost all women had a thing for Dick and tried to flirt with him. This one just made it way too obvious. Dick ordered pancakes for himself as well and she left.

"Woah, she really tried to undress you with her eyes."

Dick laughed and stirred his coffee. "Don’t worry, I’m a loyal man."

Jason grinned. "You and Babs been good then?"

"Yeah… I’m really happy with her." Dick was smiling. Jason had always thought that he and Barbara would end up together one day. Took them long enough, really.

"How is she doing?"

"Good. You know about her with the Birds of Prey, right? She’s— brilliant."

Jason nodded. He was glad to hear that. Barbara was strong, stronger than Jason was. All _he_ did was run away.

Dick sighed and stared at him.

"What?"

"Nothing. It’s just… Little Wing, you’re all grown up now!" Dick cried out. "So handsome and big. I’m just a proud older brother."

Jason scoffed. "Don’t get so sentimental, _Officer_."

"I hope Tim stays small forever. I can’t deal with you all growing taller than me."

"Me too," Jason admitted. The waiter came back with Dick’s order and smiled at him way too long before she left.

"I heard you’re really staying for good now," Dick said.

"Yeah." Jason grabbed his fork and started eating his pancakes. "I might just hop around on and off with Rose and Eddie but… I think this is good for me now. Being back."

"Tim’s probably thrilled."

Jason hesitated. "Dunno, he has his little girlfriend."

"Yeah, but you’re _you_! Nobody can replace you," Dick said.

"So you know her?"

"Steph? Yes. Not out of costume though."

Jason had been avoiding her. He didn’t want to meet the girl that Tim fell for. He knew he’d just be jealous and he didn’t want to snap at her or be rude. It wasn’t her fault Jason had been hopelessly in love with his best friend for five years now.

"How… how is she?"

"She’s cute," Dick said while stuffing himself with pancakes. "Really pretty. I think she’s good for Tim, loud and funny as well. If there wouldn’t be the whole secret identity thing."

Jason nodded. "Good. Good…"

"You don’t sound so convinced."

"What? No. I’m happy for him. She better just not break his heart or I’ll…"

Dick laughed. "You know you sound like an overprotective older brother."

"I’m _not_ his older brother!" Jason snapped at him. Dick was startled by Jason’s sudden outburst.

"I— Jay… do you perhaps _like_ Tim?"

Jason looked down on his plate. "It doesn’t matter," he replied.

"Oh, Jason… How long?"

"Five years? Pretty much for as long as I’ve known him." How could he not? When Tim was so nice, gentle, pretty, smart and being with him just always felt right?

"I didn’t know. I… I should’ve known," Dick said. "Everything makes sense now."

"What makes sense?"

"You always got jealous when Tim spent time with Babs."

"I didn’t—"

"And you literally always turned every girl down that hit on you and never showed interest," Dick interrupted him. "I know everything, Jason. You’re handsome and popular. I get it now."

Jason sighed and leaned back. "It doesn’t matter," he repeated. "He doesn’t like me back. He has _Stephanie_."

Dick’s expression softened. "There’s always a chance. Sometimes you have to be patient. Just like with me and Babs!"

"I’m not even sure if Tim likes guys."

Dick hesitated. "Yeah, that can be a complication."

"And I don’t want to ruin anything between us," Jason added. He liked what they had. He could live on forever with his one-sided love as long as Tim let him stay by his side. It was enough for him, it _had_ to be enough for him. "Don’t look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you feel sorry for me and pity me. I don’t need your fucking pity."

"Sorry," Dick said. "Let’s— I don’t want to fight. I just got you back." He smiled. "Want to meet up with Babs later? She’s not busy tonight. You could come over for dinner."

Jason relaxed. "Yeah, I’d like that."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes both of Tim's parents are still alive only because I didn't want to kill his mom off while Jason was away because he would've run back for Tim and I had to keep them apart for a while.
> 
> As for ages if it's confusing:  
> After the time skip they were 13/16 and Jay left after 5 months, then came back over a year, so that makes Tim 15 and Jason soon 18! :)


	17. Favorite

Jason knew he was deadly but the new Batgirl? Cass could probably knock him out with her pinky alone. He didn’t exactly know how to act around her. She was talking with Tim (though Tim was the one who mainly did the talking) while Jason helped Barbara in the kitchen.

"It’s so weird," Jason said. "So many things changed in just a year."

Barbara chuckled. "You were gone for more than just a year, Jason," she said. She was right about that. It had been even longer ever since he last stepped on the streets as Robin. Still, it was weird. He wasn’t used to it even though he’d been back for a month in total now.

"It’s your eighteenth birthday soon," Barbara said.

Jason hummed. "A week," he said.

"Got any plans yet?"

Jason hesitated and looked over his shoulder to where Tim and Cass were setting the table right now. He wanted to spend it with Tim but… Jason felt weird around Tim lately too. The worst thing was when he saw the younger male with a hickey the other day. He had asked Tim about it and Tim just turned red and covered it with his palm. Of course, Jason knew who gave him the hickey.

"Dunno," Jason said and turned his attention back to the former Batgirl. "Maybe with the Outlaws."

"You just got back," Barbara said. "You should stay here. I’m sure Bruce won’t mind when your friends come over."

"Really?" Jason laughed. "Eddie is literally red and has a devil tail and horns."

Barbara shrugged. "Superman drops by all the time."

"I’ll ask them," Jason said quietly. "I just don’t really… I know I’m back and I’m happy but I. I don’t know. I don’t really feel like I belong here anymore."

Barbara looked up at him. "Is it because of Tim?"

Of course, Barbara knew. She knew everything even if Jason tried his best to hide it. He sighed and looked over to Tim again. The younger boy and Cass were currently talking about some TV show.

"I know it sounds stupid and I’m being unfair. I’m the one that left. I moved on too with the Outlaws and so did he but… It just feels like he doesn’t even need me anymore," Jason confessed. "He has Stephanie and Cass now. And the Young Justice. He talks about that clone so much like he’s his new best friend."

Barbara sighed. "Jason, he thought literally the same about you and Eddie."

"But—"

"He was miserable for a long time without you too, you know?" Barbara said. "He missed you so much. Stared at your Robin case so often like you _died_. Jason, you’re right. You _are_ being unfair. Even if he has a girlfriend now, you’re still his best friend. And don’t you _dare_ think about leaving again."

Jason gulped. "Yes."

Barbara flashed him a smile. "Great. Now bring this to the table."

* * *

 

 

 

Barbara was right. When was she not right? Jason was the asshole here and distancing himself from Tim just because he had other people was stupid. He didn’t own Tim. He was happy for Tim, he had matured so well and found people that loved and appreciated him just like he should. But it also meant less time for Jason.

And on the other hand, Tim probably thought the same. Jason also had other people and… maybe it was good like this.

They used to be way too codependent, for years in their childhood they only ever had each other. Jason used to think that was a good thing, that it was always just them against the rest of the world. That he never needed anyone else as long as he had Tim… and that might be true but being too tied to just _one_ person wasn’t healthy.

Just because they both had friends now (and Tim a girlfriend), didn’t mean they weren’t best friends anymore. Right?

Still, it didn’t mean he had to like Stephanie. She was probably a nice girl but Jason was jealous. Maybe in another world, they could be good friends. He tried his best to not let his jealousy show but he felt like she probably knew.

"I heard it’s your birthday!" Spoiler said. Jason had no idea if she was smiling due to her costume not showing her face at all. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you." Jason turned away from her.

"Robin’s been talking about it all day," she explained. "We went out buying the present together. Did you like it?"

Jason rolled his eyes and was glad she couldn’t see it behind his helmet. He knew that already because Tim told him earlier that night when he gave Jason the gift. "Yes, thank you," he said through gritted teeth.

"Great. I mean I don’t know who you are but I thought I’d get on my boyfriend’s best friend’s good side, you know?" She laughed and Jason breathed in.

"Don’t worry, blondie," he said. "You’re on my good side. Just stop following me. I’m trying to patrol here."

"Blondie?" she repeated.

Jason turned around to the vigilante that had been trailing him for the past five minutes now. "Yes," he said. "And we don’t need to be friends, okay? As long as you make Robin happy, we’re fine."

Spoiler seemed startled. "Excuse me?"

"I think I made myself clear," he said. "And if you hurt Robin’s heart, I’ll break you. Besides, are you even supposed to be out on the streets? Aren’t you pregnant?"

A few seconds passed. Spoiler breathed out. "Jesus, _there_ it is," she said. "I see the kind of guy you are now. Took you a whole month until you said it, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"You didn’t like me from the start. I’m not fucking blind, Hood," she shouted. "What’s your problem? I’ve been trying my best to be nice to you!"

"Forget it."

"Overprotective big brother much? He’s not a child anymore. I mean I think he’s at least fifteen."

What kind of relationship did they even have? Why did Tim want to date her when he couldn’t reveal anything to her? She didn’t know his name, his age, anything about his family! How could he be himself around her? Why didn’t Tim like _him_ , when Jason had always been there, knew everything about Tim and—

"I’m _not_ his brother," Jason shouted. "Whatever, I never asked to be buddies with you. I’m leaving." He shot his grappling gun to the building across them. He was glad Stephanie didn’t follow him.

* * *

 

 

 

Tim found him at the end of patrol when Jason was about to head back to the manor.

"I talked to Stephanie," Tim said.

Great, now his girlfriend went snitching on him. Tim hated him now and Jason couldn’t blame him. He really had been an asshole to her. "I’m sorry," he blurted out immediately.

"I don’t want to fight," Tim said and stepped closer to him. "Jay, what is up with you? You’ve been so distant. I thought when you’re back, we’ll…"

"I’m sorry," Jason repeated. "I don’t know. It’s… it’s just weird to be back, you know?"

"And that’s the reason for you to be an asshole to my girlfriend?"

Jason pursed his lips. He took off his helmet because, well, Tim deserved to see his face. Maybe not Spoiler but Tim did. He wore his domino mask underneath but it was better than talking to him with the helmet on.

"I’ll apologize to her tomorrow," Jason promised.

Tim sighed. "This isn’t just about her. Though I do wish you’d be… I don’t know, get along. You’re the two most important people in my life right now."

Wow. Just a little bit making out and Stephanie somehow made her way up Tim’s list right next to Jason. Jason and Tim have known each other for years, been through so many things, and now he was just as important as Stephanie.

"You don’t even know each other," Jason said.

"So?"

What kind of love was this? Jason’s grip on his helmet tightened. "Forget it. I’m tired, I want to go back now."

"Jason—"

"We can talk tomorrow. Eddie’s waiting for me at the manor," Jason said.

"Eddie," Tim repeated.

"It’s my birthday," Jason reminded him. "At least it was until like two hours ago."

Tim pursed his lips and shook his head. "Fine, let’s talk tomorrow. Just be glad Stephanie didn’t tell Cass. You know, you probably wouldn’t be able to walk anymore."

He turned away and Jason cursed as soon as Tim was out of sight.

* * *

 

 

Eddie was waiting for Jason in his bedroom.

"I really don’t understand how you couldn’t just take a break on your birthday," Jason’s friend said.

"And I thought you’d be in the Batcave."

"I was," Eddie said. "It’s so fucking cool, just like how I always imagined it. Honestly, I would’ve taken pictures in it with my Batman action figures— don’t judge— however, then your dad came home and the real Batman is really scary."

Jason rolled his eyes and took off his jacket and boots. He threw himself on the bed right next to Eddie. "Tell me I suck."

"You suck," Eddie said. "What is this about? I’m really bad at talking about feelings."

Jason laughed. He knew that. They all actually were, Rose was probably the worst at it. Or Zatara, depending on if you’d count them as one of them. "I fucked up," he explained. "I snapped at Stephanie."

"Oh, Tim’s girlfriend." Eddie sat up and grabbed something from Jason’s bedside table. "I got us booze."

Jason blinked. "Did you steal this from Bruce?"

Eddie hesitated. "It’s so weird when you say it like that. But you’re eighteen now, it’s no big deal. And I turn eighteen in… a bit more than a year."

Jason sat up and sighed. "You’re right." He grabbed the bottle and flicked the can off. It wasn’t like Jason didn’t drink— when you hang out with Rose and Eddie it was what it was. He gulped down the strong gin and breathed in sharply. The burn was terrible but the warm feeling in his chest afterward felt nice. "Fuck, it tastes horrible."

"This is probably hundreds of dollars worth and you’re telling me you prefer cheap Vodka?" Jason shrugged and Eddie laughed. "Okay, tell me all about it."

Jason told Eddie about what happened this night. The devil boy listened to him with wide eyes, as they both exchanged the bottle between them back and forth.

"And now Tim hates me and I can’t even blame him because I was such an asshole," Jason completed the story.

"Huh. I don’t know what to say. I bet Rose would know what to say," Eddie replied. Rose had sent Jason a message today telling him she couldn’t come to his birthday, she ran off to a one-man mission two days ago in Russia. They were like that sometimes, they didn’t know what she was up to but they’d come in a heartbeat if she was in trouble. That’s how the Outlaws worked.

"No, she wouldn’t," Jason said. "Rose would just say we should do body shots and tell me to go fuck someone else and forget Tim."

Eddie laughed. "Yeah, you’re right. Sounds like her." He breathed out and Jason watched the little smoke that escaped his lips.

"Hey, you ever had a girlfriend before? Boyfriend?"

"What? You know I haven’t."

"I was just curious because of your breath. Wondering if you could even kiss someone." Jason and Rose used Eddie’s fire breath often to light their cigarettes. Jason knew it was a bad habit and he wasn’t proud of himself for picking it up again but… even though he had been happy away from Gotham, some nights were rough. Nights when he was all beat up, or when he came so close to killing someone again, and really missed Tim.

"Do you think that’s why Rose doesn’t want to kiss me?" Eddie asked.

Jason shrugged and grabbed the bottle to take another few gulps. Eddie and Rose were always dancing around each other. She loved to flirt with him but she liked to flirt with everyone, Jason included. Though they both knew nothing would ever happen between them. Jason was way too in love with Tim and Rose knew it. And Eddie was basically head over heels for Rose but really damn awkward about it.

"I just think she doesn’t wanna date anyone," Jason replied. "Forget her. I love her but I don’t think she’s a relationship person."

"But I…"

"You gotta focus on Zatara," Jason continued and took another gulp. There really wasn’t much left of the bottle and he could _feel_ it. Feel how his tongue got loose, his body relaxed and his brain forgot to put a barrier between his thoughts and his mouth.

"Zatara?"

"Yeah, he totally got the hots for you."

"I— we’re just friends! He’s my best friend. Not all best friends are like you! Besides, he’s a playboy! Do you know how many girls he always has? And I don’t swing that way. I, uh, think." Eddie furrowed his brows and Jason laughed.

"Why not?"

"I— I don’t know." Eddie seemed surprised at his reply.

"Wanna kiss?" Jason suddenly asked.

"What?"

"Unless I’d burn my tongue because then I really don’t want to kiss you," Jason concluded. It wasn’t his first kiss but he hadn’t kissed anyone for years now, not since he met Tim. He didn’t even remember what it was like to kiss someone.

"What about Tim?"

Jason’s thoughts lingered on the younger male for a while. His little sunshine that seemed to be so distant now. Like Jason was the moon and Stephanie earth that got between them. God, it sounded so stupid and cheesy but Jason really didn’t care about that right now. His mind was all in a blur.

"He doesn’t love me," Jason said. "He never will."

Eddie let out a cry. "Dude, that’s so sad. Neither will Rose. Or Zatara. I don’t know. You’re confusing me, why did you have to bring him up! I never even considered him before and now I’m so confused!" Eddie grabbed the bottle again and emptied it. He threw it away and Jason was surprised to not hear it break when it landed on the floor. "It won’t burn your tongue."

"What?"

"When you kiss me, I mean," Eddie explained and leaned in.

 _Fuck it,_ Jason thought as he kissed his friend back.

 


	18. You And Me Together

Tim was foolish to expect everything would be the same once Jason returned.

Of course, it wouldn’t be. Not when they both changed so much in the span of a year. Tim was Robin now, and Jason was Red Hood. He should’ve known how different they were the moment he saw Jason again. Even taller now, bigger, his voice deeper and his facial features sharper. He was… rough now. From the choice of his friends, the so-called Outlaws, to his costume that didn’t look much like your typical Superhero costume, with the guns and the helmet.

Tim still had hoped they could go back to where they used to be.

Foolish, stupid Tim.

But just because they changed and were different now, didn’t mean they couldn’t be best friends anymore. Yes, Tim had more friends now, there was Cass, the Young Justice, his friends at school, and  _Steph—_ but that didn’t have to mean they’d have to grow apart.

It meant they just had to try even harder to be together and Tim wasn’t willing to let Jason go.

He was still angry at him a little bit but Tim decided to call it a truce. He grabbed some donuts and coffee from the shop they went to many times when they were younger and drove to the Manor with his bicycle.

Tim greeted Alfred and told him he’d wake Jason up. A smile danced around Tim’s lips when he knocked against the door.

"I hope you have clothes on, Jay!" he shouted and opened the door.

The room smelled off booze and there were a few clothes scattered on the floor. Jason wasn’t really one to throw his clothes around; since he started living with Bruce, he became pretty much a clean freak and complained about Tim’s messy room all the time.

"Jesus," the deep voice of Jason came out in a groan.

"Did you drink?" Tim asked and sighed.

Jason sat up and stared at Tim. His hair was messy and he could see that Jason hadn’t shaved in a while. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and Tim’s eyes lingered on his muscular chest for a while. Jason had way more scars than Tim had. "Tim?"

"Morning, are you hungry I got us some— Is that. Is that  _Kid Devil_?"

Jason froze and then slowly turned to his side. Yes, that definitely was Eddie lying next to Jason. There was really no one else with red skin and white hair.

"He calls himself  _Red_ Devil now," Jason said.

Tim blinked. Okay. He just walked in on his best friend and uh… his boyfriend? "Okay. I’m sorry, I—"

"It’s not what it looks like!" Jason quickly shouted and got up. At least, he was wearing underwear.

"You didn’t sleep with Eddie?" Tim asked. He could feel the heat rushing to his face. He should’ve known. Jason was eighteen now, and he was gorgeous, of course he had someone. Tim had Steph too but they’ve never gone so far… maybe because she still didn’t know his secret identity, maybe because he was actually too scared to take the next step yet.

"No," Jason said. He stepped out of the bed and Eddie just let out a groan before his snoring began again. "Let’s just leave him there."

"Are you sure?" Tim asked.

"Yeah, he’s probably hungover. I need water." Jason rubbed his eyes and searched on the floor for clothes to put on. It was unfair. Tim knew by now that it wasn’t just their age difference that made the two boys appear so different. It was just unfair how fit Jason was, how thick his thighs and his biceps where, when Tim looked like he weighed nothing when he put on clothes. Tim stared at the way Jason’s muscles moved with every movement and had to force himself to avert his eyes.

"Come," Jason said and gently pushed Tim out of the bedroom.

* * *

 

 

"I didn’t know you… and Eddie were like that. I didn’t even know you were gay."

"We’re not."

Tim raised his eyebrows and Jason downed a whole glass of water. Tim had never drunk so much alcohol or been drunk, he couldn’t really imagine how Jason was feeling now. It was weird… Jason was so different now and Tim just hadn’t been there with him to change with him, right by his side. He used to think they’d experience everything together.

"We just made out," Jason explained.

"Oh. Okay, that changes  _everything_."

"I was drunk," Jason continued. "Trust me, there’s nothing between us. He’s not my type."

"That’s pretty devilphobic," Tim pointed out and Jason laughed.

"Smartass. No, he has the hots for Rose. We were both just sad and…"

"Sad?"

Jason looked away. "I don’t like fighting with you, Tim."

Tim leaned closer to Jason. They were sitting next to each other at the kitchen island on the bar stools and his shoulder was now touching Jason’s. He missed this too, touching Jason always was so natural for him. Probably because they’ve grown up with each other. Tim had craved Jason’s touches while he was away. "Me neither, Jay," he said.

"I’m sorry I was such an asshole to your girlfriend," Jason murmured.

Tim offered him a smile. "Okay," he said. "You should tell  _her_  that."

"I will. Tonight."

Tim sighed and leaned his head against Jason’s shoulder. "Jay, what went wrong between us?"

"What do you mean, babybird?"

"I feel like we’re not so close anymore," Tim said. "You don’t tell me anything. I didn’t even know you like guys."

"Oh."

"It’s okay, I’m an asshole probably for expecting you to tell me everything but we’re… We’re Jason and Tim. We always know everything about each other. At least we used to," Tim said with a weak voice. "I miss that, Jay."

Jason sighed. "Me too," he said. "I feel the same. And about me liking guys, uh, I’ve always did. Girls are nice too though. I’m bi."

Tim nodded. He thought about Jason and Eddie and… he didn’t like it. It was nice to know that Jason wasn’t dating him and they were just friends but it also bothered Tim that he didn’t like it. Why? He should be happy for Jason if he ever dated someone. He deserved someone in his life, someone that made him as happy as Stephanie made Tim happy. It would be nice if Jason had a boyfriend or girlfriend. It should be.

"Tim… you know, about… Stephanie. I know I’m being an asshole, but I was jealous," Jason said.

"What?" Tim sat up straight again.

"I have no right to be. But I came back and you were so  _different._  Suddenly, you had all these new people around you. Cass, Steph, that clone, and—"

"His name is Kon."

"Right. You know, the Young Justice." Jason ran his hand through his hair. Tim watched the movement and wondered when the last time was he played with Jason’s dark hair. He used to do that often. "It felt like there was no place for me anymore. I was gone and you moved on and I’m happy for you. I’m glad you did, that you found new friends but I also felt so left out."

"Jay…"

"I know, it’s stupid. Babs said it too. I mean I moved on too. I have the Outlaws and I— but even besides that, you’re so different. It was like I don’t know you anymore," Jason said with a quiet voice. It broke Tim’s heart.

"Me too," Tim said. "I feel like that too. You were gone and you come back and are even taller now and you suddenly carry  _guns_. You… you’re drinking and you started smoking again." Jason was about to say anything but Tim raised his eyebrows. "I know you, Jason. You can’t hide that from me. All I’m saying is that I felt the same like you."

Jason laughed. "We’re idiots, huh?"

"Yeah," Tim agreed. "Jay, it was hard without you. I’ve missed you every day. So many times I just wished I would’ve said yes to you back then when you asked me to come with you."

Jason took his hand. "Did you regret it?"

"Regret staying? No. I’m sorry."

"Don’t be." Jason smiled. "I think it was good for us to be apart. You… turned out pretty nice." He blushed. "Pretty damn good Robin too."

Tim smiled. "I had big steps to fill."

"I’ve always known you’d make a great hero, Tim."

"I know. You’ve always believed in me."

Jason smiled and Tim melted. It was so nice seeing his best friend smile at him like this again. So sincerely and warm, it felt like for the last few weeks something had been missing in Tim and he found it again. "Yeah, because you also always believed in me."

The words warmed Tim’s chest. It was a weird feeling he hadn’t felt before around Jason but Tim decided, he liked it. Even if it confused him a little bit. He wanted to say something but someone interrupted them.

"God, I feel like shit!"

Jason quickly pulled back the hand that was holding Tim’s. "Eddie, you  _look_  like shit."

Tim stared down at his now free hand. It felt weirdly empty without Jason’s.

"Oh. Hi, Tim," Eddie said and waved at him.

"Morning, Eddie," Tim greeted the other male.

Eddie poured himself a cup of water and then widened his eyes, looking straight at Jason like he just remembered what happened last night. "Jason—"

"It’s okay," Jason quickly said. "Don’t need to make a big deal out of it."

Eddie glanced at Tim and shrugged. "Okay," he said. "Won’t happen again, though. You confused me a lot."

Tim furrowed his brows and looked over to Jason.

"It’s because I told him Zatara likes him," Jason whispered, leaning close to Tim.

Eddie glared at them. "Shut up, he doesn’t. By the way, Rose sent me a message. I’m going off to Russia to help her after I had breakfast."

"You’re hungover, you can’t do shit. Can you even open a portal in your condition?" Jason pointed out.

"That’s why you’re coming with me." Eddie glanced at Tim. "Unless you… need to stay."

Tim looked at Jason. "Nah, it’s okay."

"Are you sure? I want to stay here, babybird, with you. I—"

Tim smiled and ruffled Jason’s hair. "Don’t worry, I’m a big boy now. And I know now I won’t lose you ever, even when you’re somewhere in Russia."

"Cheesy," Eddie whispered and Jason glared at his friend.

"Shut up. Anyway, what about Stephanie?"

"Uh… she’ll still be here when you come back."

"Just like you."

Tim smiled. "Yeah. Just like me."

He’ll always be here to welcome Jason back. No matter the distance between them, or how much time has passed. They’ll always be best friends.

 

* * *

 

Tim ran into Stephanie that night.

As soon as Tim spotted her on a building, he jumped up to where she was sitting.

"Hey, Robin." She smiled at him and Tim smiled back.

 _Robin._ Maybe one day, he could tell her who he was. But Tim was really secretive with his identity. Not even the other Young Justice member knew yet. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them but it was still a huge thing to reveal to. Well, Eddie already knew but he kind of knew everything. Tim shouldn’t be surprised, he lived with Jason for the past year now. He knew parts of Jason, Tim didn’t even know. Tim didn’t like that.

"Hi," Tim greeted her back. He adjusted his cape before he sat down next close to her. Stephanie took off her hoodie and the mask underneath. Tim could never dare to just take off his mask. Way too dangerous.

She leaned towards him and kissed him. Tim kissed her back softly, placing his gloved hand on her cheeks before he leaned back.

"I talked to Hood," Tim said.

Stephanie huffed. "What? He had more bad things to say about me?"

"No, he wanted to apologize."

Stephanie crossed her arms. "And where is he now?"

"On a mission with the Outlaws."

" _Very_ convenient."

"Steph… he means it. I swear," Tim assured her. He knew Jason, he wouldn’t lie to Tim.

"You’re way too soft on him," Stephanie said.

"What do you mean?"

Stephanie sighed and brushed back her blond hair. "He’s your best friend. You’ve talked about him  _so_ many times before he came back. You know, I felt like I was falling for him instead of you."

Tim wanted to protest but Stephanie raised her eyebrows and squeezed his hand.

"I’m just saying, you just are very… biased."

"Because he’s my best friend? You’re my  _girlfriend_."

"I know, it’s stupid. But he… he knows everything about you."

"If this is about my identity—"

Stephanie shook her head. "No, it’s not. It doesn’t matter. I’m just saying that… you know how you talk of him? Like he’s the nicest person in the world. Like he’s a damn softie or something!"

Tim bit down on his lower lip. "He  _is_ a nice person."

"To  _you_! And you only! You only see Jason and not the Red Hood! Do you know what he does?"

Tim let go of Stephanie’s hand. "He has his own reasons," he snapped at her. "You wouldn’t understand." She was right, Jason knew everything about Tim. He understood Tim like no one else did, but it was also the other way round. At least, Tim hoped it still was. And Stephanie didn’t know what Jason’s been through. How strong he was.

"You’re right. I don’t." Stephanie turned away from him and Tim sighed.

"Steph… I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight," Tim quickly said. "You’re both very important to me. I wish you’d get along."

"Me too," she said quietly. "I would’ve loved that too."

Tim pressed his lips together and turned her gently towards him. "He’s not a bad person, I swear. Once he gets back and you’ll talk to him, he will apologize. You’ll understand."

Stephanie gave him a soft smile. "Okay," she said. "But don’t expect me to forgive him immediately and like him."

Tim chuckled. "Okay, I won’t."

Stephanie cupped his face and pressed a kiss against his lips. Tim pulled her closer to his body, deepening the kiss. He wondered if Jason felt the same as Tim did now when he kissed Eddie last night.

 

 

 

 


	19. Starlight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my fav chapter from the entire fic

Tim wondered if the reason Jason stayed at the Manor was because of him. He knew all about Jason’s safehouses he had all over Gotham to which he retreated to often as well, but most of his belongings were still at the manor. His and Bruce relationship wasn’t ideal, they would probably never go back to where they were when Jason first started out as Robin but he still kept staying there. Maybe it was because Tim was here as well.

He still slept over at the manor whenever his parents were on a trip again, which was still often, so they had more time to spend together. Jason had moved back to the bedroom right next to Tim’s.

Tim, as always, couldn’t sleep at night. It was hours after they came back from patrol, during which Tim had got some clues about the case he had been working on. He retreated back to his bedroom and spent the last few hours working on the case, doing research, and totally forgetting the time. When he noticed how late it was, he decided to call it a night.

He closed his laptops and stared down at the ground which was currently a mess. Tim preferred working on the ground, sprawling all the clues out on it for a visual presentation, from newspaper articles, evidence to certified documents. He let out a deep sigh and decided not to clean it up but instead step between the few free gaps between. Tim walked out of his bedroom to get himself a cup of water or milk, he wasn’t sure yet, when he passed Jason’s bedroom. The door wasn’t completely shut and Tim wanted to close it for Jason because he knew Jason hated it when someone left his door open when he heard a whimper.

Tim halted, his hand still on the door handle. It felt so cold against his palm. He opened the door a bit further, just slightly, to see Jason on his bed. It was dark inside but Tim knew that the room was way cleaner than Tim’s. Jason was tossing in his bed, whimpering.

"No— don’t… _please_ ," Jason gasped in between.

He had a nightmare.

Tim took a deep breath before he stepped into Jason’s room. The floor against his feet was cold as well, he wasn’t wearing any socks. Quietly, he walked over to Jason. He wasn’t sure what to do but he hated seeing his best friend like this. He sat down on the bed and put his hands on Jason’s shoulder. Jason was all tensed under his touch, still tossing and letting out quiet cries, pearls of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Jason," Tim whispered and gently rocked Jason’s shoulders.

Jason wasn’t reacting. " _No_."

"Jay!"

His best friend woke up, his eyes opening. Jason was gasping hard, his breath uneven, and he was bracing his hands on Tim’s arms. "Tim?"

"I’m here," Tim said and stroked Jason’s cheek. "I’m here. You had a nightmare."

"I—"

"It’s okay." Tim came closer to Jason. "I’m here."

Jason let out a quiet sob. "It was so real," he breathed out.

"I understand." Nightmares were normal for them. When you were a vigilante, you saw all kinds of shit. But Tim couldn’t possibly imagine what Jason saw in his. He didn’t know about everything his best friend has been through.

Jason was shivering and trying to steady his breath but he didn’t let go of Tim.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tim asked.

"Can you turn on the light?"

Tim quickly turned on the lamp on Jason’s bedside table. Jason sat up, let go of Tim, and ran his hand through his hair. Tim turned on the bed until he was sitting right next to Jason, steadying his back against the wall.

"Do you get them often? Nightmares?" Jason asked.

Tim licked his lips. "Define 'often'. Most of the times, I don’t dream at all. I sleep like a rock from exhaustion. But yeah, sometimes." They probably weren’t as bad as Jason’s though.

Jason breathed out. "I used to have them more frequently," he admitted. "When I first left. Every single night. I couldn’t sleep at all."

It broke Tim’s heart. Jason had nights like these so many times, and there never had been Tim to wake him up and calm him down. He wished Jason wouldn’t have cut all contact with Tim in the year he left. He wished Jason would’ve called him whenever he had a nightmare because Tim would’ve picked up, no matter what time of the day it was. "What are they about?"

"A lot of times about Joker. His laughter as he beats me up with a crowbar," Jason admitted. "Sometimes about my father, about him hitting me. My mother sometimes, both of them. How they both died and I failed them. Or Bruce." He put his face in his palms. "Other times about you."

"Me?"

"When you’re in danger and I can’t save you and you die."

"Jay…"

Jason looked up at him. "I’m so scared of losing you, babybird."

"Me too," Tim whispered. "I dream about that night often too, you know? About what would’ve been if I didn’t arrive in time."

"You know," Jason said. "When I was away… I killed someone."

Tim tensed. "I know."

"I thought I did my best to cover the tracks. But I should’ve known you knew."

"You did," Tim said. "You were trained by the same man as well."

"Do you hate me?"

"No. I could never." Tim knew of the person Jason have killed, and under what circumstances. He didn’t go out to kill someone deliberately. Bruce knew about it as well, and Tim was sure he had talked to Jason about it. The guy had been the worst of the worst, and part of Tim actually thought he really was better off dead. Bruce must’ve kept tabs on Jason as well, and he hasn’t killed anyone in the last 8 months.

"I don’t regret it," Jason said. "The person I killed… he was a child rapist."

"Are your nightmares of him as well?"

Jason had a wicked smile on his face. "Surprisingly, no. Sometimes the nightmares are of what happens when I don’t kill him, when I don’t arrive. The thing is, I showed mercy for so many others. They haunt me in my nightmares.

You know, I’ve come so close to killing so many more people. I’ve crossed the line before. I could’ve, it would’ve been _so_ easy. When I disarm someone and hold their gun in my hands and look them in the eye." His voice was quiet and shaky. "I want to pull the trigger so badly. They were also scum, the world would be better without them. I looked at them directly, saw the fear in their eyes, and I didn’t— I didn’t _care._ I wanted them to be afraid."

Tim didn’t know that. "What did you do?"

"Every time I came close to crossing the line again, I thought of you," Jason admitted. "I thought 'What Would Tim Drake Do'?"

Tim blinked. "Are you kidding me?"

"Hey, I’m telling you a heartfelt story about myself!"

"No, I— I thought that too," Tim admitted.

"What do you mean?"

Tim grabbed Jason’s blanket and played with it. "When I first became Robin. I was so unsure of myself. I felt like Bruce never accepted me, that whenever he looked at me, he only saw you. He was heartbroken after you left and so violent. And distant. I didn’t know what to do a lot of times when I was out as Robin. I felt so helpless but whenever I needed something to guide me, to give me… strength… I’d think 'What Would Jason Todd Do?', and it helped."

Jason chuckled. "You can’t be serious. I’m the last person you’d want to act like."

"Why?"

Jason leaned his head back. "I’m a wreck. I was a shitty Robin. You should look up to Dick, the Golden Boy. Not me, I only ever did the wrong things. I was the _failure_. And look at what I’ve become, a murderer who doesn’t even regret it."

"No!" Tim shouted and shoved Jason lightly. "You weren’t a bad Robin! Don’t talk about my best friend like that! You’re not a failure. You’re _my_ Robin. Dick belonged to everyone else but you… you were mine, okay! And you were— no, you _are_ brave. Even after all the things that happened to you, you always still went out as Robin with a smile. Your heart was always in the right place, and you care so much for people. I know you killed, but you came back. You came back to me, and all you want is to help people."

Tim wanted to cry. He hated that Jason saw himself as lesser, because when Tim looked at Jason, he saw the world. He saw so much in Jason and he just wished, Jason could see it as well. He should know what a great person he was and how much he meant to Tim. He couldn’t imagine how his life would’ve been if he hadn’t taken a picture of the Batmobile that one night, years ago.

"You’re a hero," Tim said. "My hero. I don’t care if you think you were a bad Robin. You weren’t. When you left, you left a big hole in me, Bruce, and in Gotham."

Jason let out a choked sound. "Babybird, stop. You’re really making a guy cry." It was supposed to come out like a joke, Tim could hear the teasing tone in his words, but Jason’s voice cracked up in the last part.

"It’s the truth. And I still think so."

"Even now that I’m Red Hood? Even though I have blood on my hands?"

"Always," Tim replied. He will always believe in Jason, no matter what. Jason took his hand and Tim held his breath before linking their fingers together.

"Thank you," Jason whispered.

Tim smiled at him and leaned against Jason’s shoulder. "Can I… stay here tonight?"

Jason tensed. Tim was nervous, scared of being turned down. Memories of his child self being so sad when Jason first turned him down when Tim suggested a sleep-over because Jason thought they were too old, came rushing to him. He had tried to ask Jason several times after that as well but Jason had always told him no, and eventually, Tim gave up.

"Yes," Jason replied and Tim breathed out.

He didn’t remember the last time they shared a bed. He crawled under the blanket and lied down next to Jason. Tim turned off the light but he could still see Jason’s face clearly. He was so close to Tim, as his body was turned to Tim, their faces not too far apart.

"It’s a sleep-over again," Tim joked and smiled.

Jason returned his smile. "Yeah, it is."

"I missed this," Tim admitted quietly. "I know we’re too old for this… But I missed this. You know, when you left, I slept over in your room often. It’s embarrassing, I know—"

"It’s not," Jason said. "I get it. I used to watch you in the news every time I couldn’t sleep."

Tim blinked. "Yeah?"

"I stopped because it only made you miss you even more." The way Jason’s eyes laid on him, made Tim uneasy. But not in a bad way. It was the same weird feeling he had that time in the kitchen when Eddie walked in on them. It was a good feeling but it made him nervous.

"You got the real one in front of you now," Tim said.

"Yeah, I do." Jason grinned. "Good night, babybird."

"Good night."

 

* * *

 

 

It’s only been a few days since he got a postcard from his parents. Beautiful beach, palm trees, and a red sky from the sunset.

 _"Dear Tim, we’re island-hopping for a couple of weeks. Business. Will call when we get back next week. Love, Mom and Dad. PS: Or the week after._ "

Back then he had complained to Bruce about it. About how they were never home and Tim never exactly knew where they even were. Though, when they were all they did was fight. Right after he read the postcard, he found out about his parents’ disappearance, their plane should’ve landed hours ago but never did.

And now… Tim stared through the window to his father’s hospital room, Bruce standing just behind him. He listens to Bruce’ deep voice, explaining to him what happened. _The Obeah Man,_ that was the name of the guy who was behind this. Who killed his mother and almost killed his father as well. Bruce had been there, had tried to save them as Batman, but his mother didn’t survive. Poison apparently.

She wasn’t a perfect mother but she was so strong, he didn’t know a stronger woman except maybe Barbara. And what killed her in the end was _poison._

Tim didn’t even remember what the last thing they talked about was. He only rememberedthat damn stupid postcard he had stared at so many times since he first heard about their disappearance, flipping it over and over again until those words burned in his mind.

"I’m sorry, Tim. Truly sorry," Bruce said, putting his hand on top of Tim’s shoulder.

He didn’t reply, just stared at the man in the hospital bed. That was his father. Jack Drake, who might not even make it. The door opened and the doctor came out.

"Doctor! How is he? Is there any chance?" Bruce asked.

Tim still didn’t even turn around, it was like he was numb to anything going on around him.

"Not much," the doctor replied, "his central nervous system’s badly damaged. He’s paralyzed _._ "

Paralyzed. He will survive at least but how much of the old Jack Drake will be left?

"I know how you must feel," Bruce said to Tim again. He finally lifted his gaze and looked a the man.

"Do you?" Tim whispered.

"Yes."

Tim thought about Bruce and his parents. He had been even younger than Tim was now. "I know," Tim breathed out. "I’m sorry." He put his hand on top of Bruce’. He still hadn’t cried ever since Bruce told him about his parents but then he heard Jason’s familiar voice.

"Tim!" Jason ran towards them.

"Jay!" Tim met Jason halfway and hugged him. There they were, the tears. He pressed his face in the crook of Jason’s neck and cried into his shirt. His arms go around Jason’s waist and it was comforting how Jason’s arms curled around Tim, how his hand was stroking Tim’s short hair and he was whispering soft words at him. Tim didn’t understand them due to his sobs but it didn’t matter anyway. Having Jason here with him made it better, made the pain more bearable. He couldn’t imagine what it would’ve been if he hadn’t had Jason. If Jason died in the explosion back then too.

He would’ve felt so alone, but with Jason hugging him back like he was protecting Tim from the world, he didn’t feel alone at all.

"I got you, babybird" Jason whispered clearly and Tim just let out another sob in Jason’s chest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I changed the whole thing with Tim's parents. I know his mom should've been dead a long time now :/


	20. Girls Talk

Tim looked so small like this, curled up like a cat next to Jason’s body. He was even hugging onto the little red dragon Jason used to tease him about when they were children; it was the one his parents gave him the day before they left the country again and when Tim first came to the manor. He stopped hugging it to his chest when he was about twelve years old but now he was here hugging it to his chest again.

It broke Jason’s heart to see his best friend like this. Tim’s hair was falling flat on his forehead and in some strands on his cheeks, there were dark circles under his eyes. Jason reached his hand out to Tim and brushed the hair out fo his face. He wished he could’ve done something. Tim was… Tim was the only one of them who still had both of his parents and while Jason never liked either of them, he knew how much Tim still loved them despite it all. Tim didn’t deserve this. Nobody really did, but especially not Tim. Jason would do anything for his best friend to be happy but the harsh reality was that he couldn’t.

Tim’s eyelashes fluttered when Jason touched his cheek. Jason froze for a short second but soon Tim’s body relaxed again and his quiet snoring continued. Jason smiled softly and leaned down to press a kiss on Tim’s forehead. He didn’t want to leave Tim, he wanted to stay next to him forever in his bed.

They haven’t slept together in a bed since that one night Tim found him when he had a nightmare. For a short moment, Jason had let himself be close to Tim. He still remembered how sad Tim looked when Jason first told them they were way too old for sleepovers in the same bed but… it was the truth. They _were_ too old and Jason was way too in love with Tim.

"I’ll be right back," Jason said softly and got out. He rearranged the blanket over Tim’s small body. He went down to the Batcave where Bruce was already sitting behind the Batcomputer. He didn’t react at all when Jason arrived and changed into his suit, not even when Jason approached him from behind. But Jason knew Bruce noticed him.

"How is he?" Bruce asked when Jason was leaning next to Bruce against the table.

"He’s finally asleep," Jason replied with a strained voice. Bruce nodded slowly and finally looked at Jason.

Whatever was between them was complicated and it didn’t help that Jason was out here fighting crime with two guns in each of his hands, even if they weren’t real bullets. Jason was more violent than Batman, harsher; criminals were even more so scared of the Red Hood. He would leave the manor and actually just get his own place but a little part of Jason still wished they could make up. It was maybe stupid, Bruce was Bruce and he was Jason— too much had happened between them and both were way too stubborn. And yet here he still was, living with the man under the same roof. And with Tim staying with them while his father was in the hospital, there was no way Jason would leave anyway.

"Good."

"He’s probably just going to tell us to let him on the streets tomorrow night again," Jason said. Bruce let out a deep sigh.

"I don’t think that’s a good idea."

"Me neither," Jason replied. "I wish, I could do more."

Bruce turned his chair towards Jason, facing him completely now. "You’re doing everything you can do, Jason. Be a good friend for him."

"I don’t feel like it’s enough," Jason said quietly. "I want to… I don’t know. I don’t think I’m enough." He rubbed with his gloved hand against the red helmet he had placed in front of him on the table. "Maybe Stephanie could help him."

He didn’t like the thought of it, that maybe Tim’s girlfriend could be better support but Jason knew Tim cared for her and she cared for him.

"She doesn’t know who he is," Bruce said.

"But—"

"No."

Jason glared at Bruce. "Fine." He took his helmet and put it on. "You don’t always need to be so secretive over our identities, Bruce. Sometimes you can just trust people, you know?"

"I thought you didn’t like her."

"I don’t, but I like Timmy."

 

* * *

 

 

Tim’s father was recovering and Tim was out on the streets again, even more determined than he was before. Stephanie wasn’t on the streets as Spoiler anymore, her belly was getting bigger and bigger with each time Jason saw her. He wondered who the father of the child was and what kind of asshole he had to be to not be there for Stephanie during that time. She had Tim though, and Tim was… he really was the sweetest boyfriend.

Jason’s heart ached every time he saw them together, or when Tim changed into "Alvin Draper" so he could visit his girlfriend out of costume and accompany her to antenatal classes.

"Hey, Jason," Darla greeted him when she walked past him. Jason just grunted a short, "hi," as a response but didn’t pay much attention to her. She was the most popular girl, beautiful and pretty much every boy’s dream, and Tim once asked about her because she often hung out with Jason. It was mostly because she actually had a huge crush on Tim (and didn’t believe his girlfriend "Stephanie" existed), and even if she was interested in _Jason_ and not Tim, he wouldn’t be interested anyway. He had Tim, even if Tim would never like him back. And besides, she was also the daughter of a crime lord. No way Jason would try something like that.

High School romances seemed stupid to him; High School, in general, was kind of useless. He just wanted to graduate, nothing more. Jason felt weird being here, he felt so much older than everyone. Too much happened in his life for him to just pretend to be a normal student again. But he liked that he got to spend more time with Tim like this and Jason actually liked learning new things.

When he spotted Tim among the many students that were filling the hall, Jason’s mood lightened up immediately. "Hey." Then, he noticed the look on Tim’s face. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

Jason raised his eyebrows. "I’m your best friend, I know when you lie."

One corner of Tim’s lips lifted into a crooked smile. "Yeah, of course, you do. It’s just Steph."

Jason stiffened at her name. "What about her?"

"She called me last night talking about wanting to keep the baby and I…" Tim let out a deep sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

"Jesus, what? Isn’t she your age?" She was fifteen, as far as Jason knew.

"Yeah."

"What did you say?"

"I told her to think it over. It’s not just that she’s young and a single mom— I mean I’d be there for her and all. But her father’s… you know. And she is…" Tim tilted his head. Jason knew what Tim meant.

"Yeah, I wouldn’t want to raise my baby under such circumstances either," Jason agreed. "But do you mean it?"

"What?"

"You… you’d really play mommy and daddy with her?"

Tim looked up at Jason. "She’s my girlfriend."

Jason had to suppress the urge to snap at him and tell him that she still didn’t even know Tim’s identity. He knew it just made Tim angry, and Jason’s been trying very hard to be nice to Stephanie and not be an idiot and let his jealousy speak. "You’re fifteen."

Tim shrugged. "I don’t want to play the father. I just… I don’t know. I will be there for her. I— I love her?"

The words stung Jason’s heart and he looked away as they walked to the cafeteria. "What would you do if that were your child?"

Tim’s eyes widened. "Dude, I don’t even want to think about that. I’m way too young to be an actual parent. And I got a, er, job."

Jason laughed. "I’m just saying. It could’ve been yours."

Tim blushed. "No, I— we never. Had, you know."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Tim scratched the back of his head. "You know she was already pregnant when we started dating and it just felt weird… And I don’t think I’m ready for it yet."

Jason breathed out. "Yeah, you’re basically a baby."

Tim rolled his eyes and laughed. "What about you?"

"I don’t kiss and tell." Jason smirked. "You know I was busy during the year I was away."

"Of course you were." Tim’s voice died down and he avoided Jason’s eyes. That was totally a lie. Jason hasn’t been busy at all, unless being busy meant watching Eddie and Rose dance around each other with their feelings they’d never say out loud which also now ended in both of them giving up on it. He’d probably also stay a virgin forever, it just felt wrong being with someone who wasn’t Tim. That thing with Eddie… that was weird enough already and Jason was fine with having no one.

Even if it was pretty frustrating sometimes.

 

* * *

 

Here is how it went: Jason came back from a mission with the Outlaws. He asked them if they wanted to stay over but they both declined. Rose, because she had better things to do. Eddie, because he still was kind of intimidated by Bruce.

Jason went into his room and there was Tim sitting on his bed.

"Hi."

"Woah." Seeing Tim on his bed was one of the best welcome home gifts he ever had. Okay, this wasn’t one but Jason could dream. "What are you doing here?"

"Can’t I welcome you back? You were gone for…"

"Two days. It’s not that much. You’re sometimes gone for more," Jason said. Tim tilted his head and smiled weakly.

"Steph and I broke up."

Jason dropped the bag he was carrying in which his Red Hood gear and weapons were, stacked right between his casual wear. "What?" He took three big steps to his bed and sat down next to Tim. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Tim said.

Jason looked at his best friend. Tim was a good liar but Jason liked to think that he could tell when Tim was lying. He couldn’t tell right now but he didn’t believe it. Stephanie and Tim have been dating for so long now. Jason never had been in a relationship but nine months sounded like a long time for a fifteen-year-old. As bitter as Jason had been towards Tim and Stephanie’s relationship, she was his first love after all. And Jason didn’t want to see Tim heartbroken.

"Really, Jay. I’m fine," Tim assured.

"Just like three weeks ago you told me all about being a supportive boyfriend if she would keep the baby," Jason said. Not long after that talk, Stephanie went into labor. She gave it away and now…

Tim shrugged. "I know," he said. "I already felt back then that it was— I don’t know. We both mutually agreed on it. I’m not sad… I mean, I am. I’m sad it didn’t work out in the end."

Jason blinked. He thought he’d be happier when he heard of them breaking up. Worst case scenario would’ve been the two of them together forever, marrying and spending the rest of their lives together with Jason watching them from the sidelines and eventually having to give up. But he somehow wasn’t happy.

"Are you sure? Is she okay too?"

"She was the one who brought it up," Tim said. "And she was right. Whatever there was between us in the beginning, it’s gone now, you know?"

"No," Jason said. "Never been in a relationship." He also couldn’t imagine ever stop loving Tim. It sounded stupid, he was still young but he has loved him almost half of his life now. He didn’t even remember how he was without always longing for the other male.

"Oh," Tim said.

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" Jason asked after a long pause.

Tim smiled at him. "Yeah."

* * *

 

 

"Where’s Robin?"

Jason sat down next to Stephanie. She had pulled her black mask up to reveal her nose and mouse to drink a smoothie.

"Teen Titans," Jason replied.

"Weren’t you a member too?"

"Not anymore." Jason shrugged. He had long stopped being one of them. Eddie was now back to being a member but Jason didn’t feel like he belonged with them anymore. He was too old for that now, maybe too dark. It just felt wrong being on _the_ Teenage superhero team when you were the _Red Hood_.

"What is this?" Stephanie placed down her now empty drink and pulled her mask down again. "You trying to be my friend now?"

Jason shrugged. They weren’t on bad terms with each other. He stopped being an asshole to her and apologized, and since then they just pretty much avoided each other. No bad remarks if they ever met but no friendly ones either. He actually hadn’t seen her often in months anyway either. She had been off the streets due to her pregnancy, and a while after she delivered to recover.

"Quiet night." He took off his helmet and placed it next to him.

Stephanie hummed. "Yeah. I ran into Batgirl earlier. She warned me about you."

"About _me_?"

"Said you’ve been moping around because Tim left. She ran off before I could even ask where he went off to."

Jason pursed his lips. "I’m not _moping,_ blondie."

"Sure thing, Hood." Stephanie’s voice was light. "He’ll be back soon. Don’t worry."

"Am not worried." He just missed Tim.

Stephanie put her head back. "So, again, you’re trying to be friends now or what?"

"I just…" Jason didn’t know what to say. She’d been around a lot ever since Bruce told her their secret identity and worked close with her. It was inevitable now, better to get along with her than avoiding her.

"It’s fine." Stephanie stretched her arms. "I don’t mind. Stopped when I realized why you hated me."

"What do you mean?"

The blonde snorted. "C’mon, it’s pretty obvious you got a crush on my ex-boyfriend."

Jason didn’t even deny it. He swallowed hard and stared down at his helmet. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah. Took me a while to realize it though." Stephanie hit his shoulder slightly. "It’s fine. I don’t mind."

"How did you… know? It wasn’t Oracle that told you, right?"

"No. But she just confirmed it when I asked about it. Okay, she just laughed but I’m not stupid," Stephanie said.

Great, now Barbara, Dick, and Stephanie knew about it. Not to mention Rose and Eddie. And Jason was 100% sure Cass knew it too and just never said anything about it. Did she tell the clone about it? Last time Jason checked, those two were kind of a thing. Maybe she told him and he told Tim… no, Cass wouldn’t do that.

"I’m sorry," Jason said. "I was an asshole because of my jealousy."

"Yeah, you were. It’s okay, I understand. I remember how jealous I used to be when I didn’t know who he was. Always thought about the other girls he had in his life that knew who he was. Guess I should’ve been worried about the boys," she teased him.

Jason rolled his eyes. "No need to worry, blondie." Tim didn’t like him anyway, or ever will. She could keep getting worried about other girls because Jason was sure Tim didn’t even like guys.

"I know what you’re thinking. Don’t even think about giving up on your little crush. However, you should give up on smoking." Jason gritted his teeth. She didn’t need to tell him, he actually was trying to. It was just harder than this time around than the first time. He knew Tim disliked it, he saw the look on Tim’s face every time he could smell smoke lingering on Jason. It reminded him a lot of the tiny nine-year-old Tim from back then. Stephanie jumped up. "Gotta go before my mom realizes I’m gone again. Night, Hood."

"Night."

 

 


	21. Love Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clarify, Tim's about 16 1/2 now... so it's been about a year since his mom died.

Tim tapped against his laptop with a pen.

On the screen was a video a civilian filmed of the Teen Titans fighting The Titans East and uploaded on YouTube. Thousands of comments were underneath, some being inappropriate as well. A lot of them were about Lorena Marquez, the current Aquagirl. A wild discussion thread over whether or not Wonder Girl and Superboy were dating or not. Tim thought it was funny because he wasn’t actually sure himself.

A knock came against the door. "Tim, your friend is here to visit you."

Tim clapped the laptop shut and turned around to look at his father. "Thanks, dad," he said with a weak smile on his face. Jack Drake just nodded and left again.

Tim left out a sigh before he got up. He went downstairs where Jason was waiting.

"Hey, Timbers," Jason said with a big smile.

Tim smiled back. "Timbers? That one’s new."

"Yeah, I wanted to be creative," Jason explained and shrugged. He stepped into the place, and Tim stared at how there really wasn’t much space between Jason’s head and the top of the door. It was unfair how huge his friend was growing rapidly, almost catching up on Bruce himself. He was carrying a backpack, probably with his sleepwear and other things since they were having a sleepover.

"Should come up with new nicknames for you too," Tim said.

"I know you’re bored but don’t even think about it, nicknames are my thing," Jason teased. Tim laughed and closed the door behind Jason.

"Tim, I’ll be going out tonight," Jack Drake said. He looked over to Jason and his eyes narrowed. Tim’s father had never been so much of a fan of Jason and ever since he found out about Tim being Robin, he disliked Jason even more.

"Hey, kids!" Dana greeted them from the stairs with a smile.

"Hello, Ms. Winters," Jason said. Unlike Janet, Dana liked Jason a lot. She didn’t know Tim was Robin and that Jason was the Red Hood. Tim wondered if that would change her opinion on Jason.

"I told you to call me Dana. We’re going out tonight. If you want you can order pizza but don’t stay up too late," she said and took Jack’s hand. "Are you ready?"

Jack hesitated and nodded. "Yes. Tim, take care."

They both left and the door fell behind them.

"Damn, he really hates me."

"He doesn’t _really_ hate you," Tim said. "He just doesn’t like me being Robin. And he knows you’re a vigilante too." They went into the kitchen. "He’s just worried about me."

"Can’t blame him," Jason said. "I would be too if my son was a vigilante."

"Do you know how frustrating it is?" he asked. "I— I have nothing to do."

Jason laughed. "You know a lot of people aren’t vigilantes, right? Pick up a new hobby. That isn’t hacking or something like that."

"I’ve gone to the skateboard park more than I ever had in my life since I stopped being Robin," Tim said. "And I’ve hung out with Ives so often now I think he’s sick of me."

Jason ruffled Tim’s hair. "I know it must be rough for you."

Tim pouted. "I just want to go out there. Staying in at night while you’re… you’re all out there saving people…"

"Maybe it helps when you don’t listen in on our comms or the police," Jason pointed out. Tim knew he was right. Doing that just frustrated him even more but he wanted to help. And if that was by forcibly playing Jason’s personal Oracle sometimes, or hacking into police files and trying to solve cases all on his own behind a computer screen, then so be it.

"You’re going out tonight again, won’t you?"

"Yeah…" Jason scratched the back of his head. "I’ll return though. You know I promised you a sleepover. And I’m going to cook for you, so cheer up, babybird."

"You said you were going to teach me how to cook," Tim said.

Jason smiled. "Yes, you really need that. Maybe it can be a new hobby."

Tim made a face. He had never been interested in learning how to cook. All he needed to know was which buttons to push at their coffee machine. "Only if it’s with you."

"I can’t always cook for you," Jason said with a strained voice but he was offering Tim a smile.

The two spent about an hour together in the kitchen while Jason taught him how to cook. It resulted in Tim cutting himself and Jason insisting on putting on the band-aid as if Tim couldn’t do it himself. He was Robin— at least he used to be— he had experience of bandaging his own wounds that were way worse than this. But Tim didn’t mind actually.

After dinner, they sat in Tim’s bedroom on his bed. It was not big enough for both of them to sleep in but just sitting next to each other was all right. Since his father went bankrupt, they had to move out and in a smaller apartment.

"I’m going to move out," Jason announced.

"Really?" Tim asked.

"You know I’ve wanted to move out forever." Jason had actually never intended to stay at the manor when he came back. But he and Bruce… reconciled and Jason agreed to stay at least until he finished High School.

"You found a place already?"

Jason hummed. "I’ve got my eyes on one but I wanted to ask if you want to come with me first."

"Why?"

Jason hesitated, played with the pillow on Tim’s bed. "I don’t know, I mean you’re graduating soon too. And I know, we don’t know what the future holds for us but I just… It’s not my _first_ place since I kinda already lived with Rose and Eddie but—"

"Jason. Just shoot!"

Jason blushed. "I wanted to ask if you want to move in with me." Tim didn’t know how to respond. "You don’t have to! Crap, I know it sounds stupid. It’s just, I always imagined us living together someday, babybird. We used to kind of. When we were kids."

Tim’s heart beat faster. Yes, they’ve practically lived together back when Jason was Robin and Tim’s parents were away. When Jason came back, Tim’s mother died and Jack stayed in Gotham so it wasn’t like Tim could live at the manor the entire time. Especially now that his father knew his not so little secret and made Tim quit Robin. But that was— none of those were ever really just the two of them. Even when they weren’t Robin, and they spent a whole summer together. That was Tim’s parent’s place.

But their own place. Just their own home that they would choose themselves, decorate and make memories in.

"You can say no," Jason said.

"No!"

"Ouch."

"Not that no, idiot. I want to. I really do." Tim smiled and took Jason’s hand. He remembered a time when he held on Jason’s hand and they didn’t feel so rough against his skin. "I’m happy."

"Yeah?" Jason smiled brightly. "Me too. You’re my best friend after all."

Somehow, Tim was disappointed hearing that. He quickly changed the topic. "So, you’re not going to college?"

"I don’t know," Jason said. "I kind of want to but— life’s exhausting enough already." He ran his hand through his hair and Tim stared at the strands entwined between Jason’s fingers. "I’ll take a break first. Maybe I’ll go to college later, who knows? I’d want to have a life outside of being Red Hood but it just sounds impossible right now. Going to school every day was horrible already when you were out fighting mob bosses in the night."

Tim laughed. He knew just too well how that was. Especially with having to lie to his father and sneaking out of their home. Despite being sad about having to give up Robin, Tim was also happy he didn’t have to lie anymore.

"I’ll be out on the streets again," Tim said. "When I’m finished with school." Once he was eighteen and moved out, his father couldn’t tell him not to go out anymore. He would be an adult.

"Yeah?"

"Not as Robin though." Tim tilted his head. "Remember when we would always talk about being a duo?"

Jason smirked. "You’d want that?"

"You’d have to help me design a suit though," Tim said. "You’re better at it than I am."

Jason snorted. "Really? You’ve seen the Red Hood suit. I made it not look like a superhero suit on purpose, you sure you want _me_ to design your suit?"

Tim shrugged in response. "I don’t know, it looks kind of hot." He regretted the words as soon as they came out and could feel his cheeks warming up.

Jason cleared his throat. "I… I gotta go," he said. "Patrol."

"Right."

"You wanna watch me from your laptop?"

Tim glanced at the laptop from his table. "You sure you want me to?"

"Babybird, I’d always want your voice in my ear," Jason responded and Tim’s heart skipped a beat.

"I’ll wait here," Tim said.

Jason smiled and leaned over. He hesitated for a while until he placed a kiss on Tim’s forehead. "Talk to you later," he said and left. Tim didn’t bother to follow him to the door, he grabbed the pillow Jason had just played with and hugged it to his chest. When he heard the door fall shut, Tim squeezed it, pressed his face into it and screamed.

 

* * *

 

 

Tim prepared everything for their sleepover. He took out a mattress for Jason and a pillow and blanket. Once he was finished putting on sheets, he walked to his laptop and started it. It took five more minutes until Jason’s voice greeted him, immediately making Tim smile.

"Hey, babybird."

"Hey, Hood," Tim replied in a soft voice.

"Look who I met." The camera panned and Tim saw Stephanie.

"Is it who I think you’re talking to?" the blonde asked. She was in her full Robin suit and something inside Tim ached seeing her wearing it. He was the one who suggested her becoming Robin, but he missed it so much. He connected to her line.

"Yep," Jason replied. "Wanna patrol together tonight?"

"If your personal _Oracle_ doesn’t mind," Stephanie responded and smiled. They’ve broken up a few months ago and since then Jason and Stephanie had actually got along better. They were friends now.

"You know I’m not Oracle," Tim said. "Pretty sure the original one copyrighted it." Besides, he was nowhere near as good as Barbara.

"You mean the Oracle from Delphi?" Jason joked and Tim rolled his eyes but he smiled. Stephanie sighed.

"Okay, boys, what do we got?"

About an hour later, Jason and Stephanie were busting a drug ring. They worked well together and Tim hated it.

"That was fun!" Stephanie shouted after they were finished tying up and knocking out the men in the warehouse.

"Yeah," Jason agreed and laughed. "Should do that more often."

There was anger boiling inside Tim, and he couldn’t explain it. "I’m tired," he lied. "I’m logging off."

"What?" Jason immediately said. "Wait—"

Tim turned the line off. He wasn’t tired but he hated watching them. He wasn’t exactly sure why it was, maybe because Stephanie was Robin and he wanted so badly to be Robin.

Why was he like this?

Was he jealous? Because Stephanie moved on? Because Tim was scared his ex-girlfriend might date his best friend?

He got up to change his clothes and brush his teeth. Yeah, that must be it. He was sure he was over Stephanie but maybe seeing her and Jason work so well together, joking around and making plans, made him realize that she will date someone else soon. That it was really over between them.

 

* * *

 

 

"Jay?" Tim rubbed his eyes and looked at the dark figure that was currently climbing through his window in.

"Sorry," Jason whispered. "Didn’t want to wake you up." He kneeled next to Tim.

"Was tired," Tim murmured. "You okay?"

"Yeah, the night was pretty uneventful." Jason’s fingers tangled into Tim’s hair and Tim smiled lazily.

"Feels good," he said.

Jason continued to play with his hair. "I’ll change my clothes now and crawl into bed."

Tim sat up and Jason pushed him gently down again. "Hush, it won’t take long. Just sleep."

"Am not a child," Tim replied but his words were slurred. He reached for his nightside lamp and turned it on to see Jason in front of him.

"Okay, okay. You can turn it off again unless you wanna see me naked." It was a joke but Tim immediately turned it off again and blushed.

"Whatever. Good night." He turned around and closed his eyes. He could hear Jason’s faint chuckle and the shuffle of Jason’s clothes. Tim held his breath.

So that was what was going on. He wasn’t jealous Stephanie might find someone else, that she was over Tim and would start dating Jason. Tim had been right, he was over Stephanie. She could date anyone right now, and the concern Tim would have to her next boyfriend (or girlfriend) would be that of a good friend and not of a jealous ex-boyfriend. But he _would_ mind if Jason found someone.

Because Tim _liked_ him. He liked Jason so much and now that the realization hit, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed before. How his gaze lingered on Jason more often since he had been back, how Tim got nervous and flustered around him so easily, how much he craved Jason’s presence and affection, more so than he used to when he was a child and Jason was his only friend. He should’ve known.

He should’ve known from the day he found Eddie lying in Jason’s bed when Tim first started to feel weird. He should’ve realized that whenever Jason held his hands and pulled back, it felt like something was missing. He should’ve realized the night Tim woke Jason up from the nightmare and slept in his bed, holding his breath when he realized how close Jason had been to him.

God, he really was blind, wasn’t he?

 

 


	22. Colors

"You can just say if I’m bothering you," Eddie said.

"No, you don’t," Jason replied. "Just… how long are you going to stay here?"

His friend twirled around in the chair several times. "Dunno," he replied. "Can’t I just stay here? I know you have a guest bedroom."

"It’s not a guest bedroom." It was Tim’s room. The entire place was _their_ place even if Tim was still not even seventeen yet. They chose it together, from the place, to the furniture, to every other single detail in here. They just needed to wait for Tim to graduate High School but the boy was over often anyway. It was almost like they lived together, with the exception that he didn’t sleep here.

Eddie made a face. "C’mon!"

Jason sighed and rubbed his temples. "Why don’t you just go to your boyfriend?"

Eddie blushed. It was weird to see his friend blush, Jason was so used to him always being red that seeing him now in his human form was weird to him. He lost his powers a while ago and looked like a normal boy again, kind of like how he looked like when Jason first met him. Long brown hair, a baseball cap on and freckles.

"I don’t think Zatara would appreciate me sleeping on his couch," Eddie said.

"He’s your _boyfriend._ You could sleep in his _bed_ and I think he has to live with that," Jason replied. Eddie ran away from the Teen Titans after losing his powers and basically traveled over to Gotham with a huge backpack when he knocked at Jason’s door.

"Dude, I wanna do something but I feel so useless there. I could be here and help you out. I don’t know, there’s always shit to do in Gotham. I could be your sidekick!" Eddie cried out. Jason shook his head.

"Dude, I literally don’t have time for you. I’m going to call Zatara."

Eddie groaned and buried his face in his palms. "Don’t. It’s new between us and I feel weird."

"You’re best friends! The fuck is weird about it?"

"You _know_ him."

Jason took another deep breath. "Just go back to the Teen Titans. You can help them out even without powers. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I don’t have any either. I love you and all but I literally don’t have time for you."

Eddie looked up. "Why?"

Jason pressed his lips together. "Tim. His father died. I have to be there for him."

"Shit! I didn’t know. How is he?"

Jason sighed. "Bad. Spoiler died too. And—"

"Superboy," Eddie breathed out. "I’m so sorry."

Jason sighed. "You didn’t know. But you know why now."

Eddie nodded and got up. "Okay, I’ll fuck off," he said.

"I feel like a bad friend." Jason got up as well and walked over to him. "It’s not that your problems are stupid next to his, I know how important those powers were to you and while I can’t imagine what you’re going through because I never really had any except for maybe not dying—"

Eddie rolled his eyes and put his hand on top of Jason’s shoulder. "Don’t worry, you’re not. I’ll go back to the Teen Titans. Maybe you’re right, maybe I can help them out even without powers."

"You could also just be one of the assistants in your boyfriend’s magic show," Jason teased. "Wear fishnets." Eddie stuck out his tongue at him and hit Jason’s shoulder.

* * *

 

 

Bruce called him over and Jason reluctantly agreed to meet his old man.

He was greeted at the doorstep by Alfred. "Hey, Alfie," Jason said with a lazy smile. If there was one thing he missed at the Manor, it was Alfred. But he liked his new place even if Tim wasn’t there. Everything still reminded him of Tim and the memories of them moving in together. For a while, Jason had pretended they were a newly-wed couple moving into their first apartment as _stupid_ as that sounded.

"Master Jason. Bruce is in his office."

"All right." Jason took off his jacket before he walked towards Bruce’ office. He was chewing on bubblegum, it distracted him from the urge to smoke. He hadn’t grabbed for a cigarette for a while but with everything, that’s been going on… Stephanie dying, Tim’s father dying… It had been rough. Jason never was a fan of Tim’s father until the end, even if his wife, Dana helped him calm down but Jason knew how much Tim loved him despite it all. And Stephanie was Jason’s friend. Right now more than ever Jason wanted to just smoke and relax for a while.

He didn’t bother to knock on Bruce’ door when he arrived and just kicked the door open. Bruce was sitting at the desk and even wearing a suit.

Jason raised his eyebrows. "Going somewhere?"

"I have a meeting later," Bruce replied. Jason nodded slowly and pulled the chair in front of the desk back to sit across from Bruce.

Bruce looked… tired. He was getting old now, still as strong as ever but all the things that had been happening could be seen in his appearance as well. You don’t live through all that and come up unscathed.

"What is it about? About the whole vigilantes being illegal now thing?" Jason asked. "I’m not going to stop being Red Hood. And I’m not going to fuck off to Blüdhaven. You can’t just send me away like Cass."

Bruce clenched his jaw. "That’s not what this is about."

"Oh. What is it?"

"It’s about Tim."

Jason sat up. "I think I should let him live with me," he said. "He’d feel better at my place." He didn’t like the fact that Tim was living at the manor right now.

"Jason."

"What? I’m right. You know, I’m the best to help him right now!"

Bruce sighed. "He’s a minor, Jason. He’s not even seventeen yet. We have legal issues to deal with right now."

Damn the fact that Tim was still a child. "Where’s the problem?"

"Dana can’t keep him, considering her state," Bruce explained. Tim’s stepmother, who Jason liked way more than his father, was in a clinic in Blüdhaven at the moment. She wasn’t in a stable condition, who could blame her after what happened? "And the law has changed, I can’t just keep him in as my ward. I’d… I’d like to adopt him but I wanted to talk with you about it first before I talk to Tim."

Jason blinked. "You. You want to _adopt_ him?!"

"Yes," Bruce said. "As far as we know, he doesn’t have any other living relatives. In any case, he’d go in the system. We both wouldn’t want that for him."

No, Jason really wouldn’t. He had lied for months and lived all by himself, stealing things to pay for his place, so they wouldn’t get him and put him in with a foster family or an orphanage. "And adopting him is the only thing to do?"

"He’s already part of the family," Bruce said. "It would just be official."

"No."

"Jason—"

Jason shook his head. "No, we’ll come up with something else. I don’t know, Timmy’s so smart he could go to court for emancipation or something."

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Do you think in Tim’s state he will be able to do that? He is busy enough already. And he misses a lot of classes."

 _Fuck school,_ Jason thought. "You’re _not_ going to adopt him," Jason said. "I don’t—"

"He’s your best friend," Bruce said. "I thought you’re going to be happy. Or do you not… want me to be his father? I know you and I haven’t been on the best terms but—"

"That’s not it!" Jason shouted. "I just— I don’t want to be related to him! I don’t want to be his fucking brother!"

Bruce stared at him with such an intense gaze that made Jason feel small. He hated it, he was almost the same size as Bruce now but there were still times when he felt so small next to Bruce. It was the worst.

"You like him," Bruce stated.

"Congratulations!" Jason yelled. "Took you long enough. World’s greatest detective, my ass." He leaned closer. "For the record, pretty much everyone else knows. Except for you two, I guess. Funny, huh, considering you’re said to be the detectives of the family?"

Really, everyone knew. Rose, Eddie, Dick, Barbara, Cass, and Stephanie. Bruce and Tim were probably just really damn oblivious.

"I didn’t expect it."

Jason shrugged. "I know, there’ll never be anything between us but if there’s the small chance— I don’t want it. And whatever, I don’t owe you an explanation."

"No, you don’t."

Jason scratched his head. "We’ll come up with something else. There has to be a way."

 

* * *

 

They’ve had a tradition that they’ve fulfilled every year except that one year when Jason was out with the Outlaws. Every year, they’d go to the ice skating rink.

"It’s not even time yet," Tim said. They usually always went around December.

"We’re making an exception," Jason said while he put on his skates. Unfortunately, the old ones from last year didn’t fit anymore and he had to buy new ones. He wondered if he had finally stopped growing. He got up and looked over to Tim who was still struggling with his. "Need any help, babybird?"

"No," Tim said and got up.

"Sure? I remember when you used to always hold my hand because you sucked at this," Jason teased. That was years ago but he still liked thinking about it. How he had taught Tim how to skate on ice and how excited the boy had been later when he managed to skate around without Jason’s help. Oh, he also remembered the many times both boys crashed against each other and fell.

"Shut up," Tim said, "I’m better now."

"Okay." They both entered the ring and Tim tugged on his jacket. Jason turned around.

"What’s up?"

Tim’s cheeks were flushed red and he was staring down on his skates. "I… I wouldn’t mind holding hands," he said.

Jason’s heart stopped for a short while. "Of course," he replied in such a soft tone nobody but Tim ever got to hear. There were many sides of Jason he didn’t show anyone but Tim. He offered his best friend his hand and Tim took it. He probably just wanted to hold Jason’s hand for support— emotional support. He’s been through so much and Jason thought maybe this would help. This place only ever had good memories tied to them, maybe it’ll cheer Tim up a little bit.

They skated around for a while. There weren’t too many people around but he could feel the looks the other people gave them. They probably looked like a couple to other people. Jason felt weird about it but in a good way. He wished what other people thought of them was true.

"You were over earlier today," Tim said, "at the Manor."

"Yeah," Jason replied and they both skated towards the edge, holding themselves at the wall.

"What was it about?" Despite both stopping and now leaning against the wall, neither of them let go of the other’s hand.

"Bruce… he wanted to adopt you," Jason explained. "He asked me first to check in with me if I was okay with it." As many things Jason had to tell that he didn’t like about Bruce, he was glad he had asked Jason first.

Tim looked up and his bright blue eyes met Jason’s. The most beautiful eyes in the world, so light and warm despite all the burden he had carried over the years. "What did you say?"

Jason hesitated. "I… I said I don’t want him to adopt you."

"Oh."

"Please don’t take it the wrong way! You’re— you’re my best friend. You’re already part of the family without it being on paper, you know? It’s just…" _I don’t want to be your brother_. "Please, Tim. Believe me, it’s not because I don’t want you in the family."

Tim shook his head and even smiled at him. "Don’t worry about it," he said and squeezed Jason’s hand. "I wouldn’t want it either."

"Huh?"

"I don’t want to be adopted by Bruce," he explained.

"Huh… that’s good. I wouldn’t recommend it anyway. Being his son, that is."

Tim even laughed a little bit. It had been a long time since Jason had seen him laugh, not since his father and Stephanie died. "We’ll just have to figure something else out."

Tim tugged his hand and dragged him along as he continued to skate around.Jason followed him.

Here and any time, Jason would follow him anywhere. He would do anything for Tim, whatever it was he asked for. And he really wished he could do more for Tim. He wished he had been there and been able to save his parents, or Stephanie, or the clone. He had lost enough people in life already. Hopefully, there were no more deaths. Because as much as Jason wished he could protect Tim and keep him happy forever, he had learned a long time ago that it wasn’t possible. Jason was helpless. He couldn’t do _shit_ to prevent all these horrible things to happen.

But… he’ll be there when they did happen. He will be here and try his best so Tim would always have someone to run back to, someone waiting for him.

"Jay?" Tim asked him when he noticed how deep in thoughts the older male was.

"Sorry," Jason said. "Was caught up in my mind."

"Huh, didn’t know you could think in that thick head of yours."

"Hey!"

Tim giggled and squeezed Jason’s hand again. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"Being there."

Jason smiled and brushed a strand of hair out of Tim’s face. "Always will be, babybird."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While all the things that happen chronologically in Jason/Tim/Gotham's life, in general, is still fresh in my mind bc i basically reread and read a lot of comics to get it right for the fics some might have forgotten.  
> This is set after the War Games and Identity Crisis arc. It basically results in Steph's "death", and vigilantes being illegal in Gotham (and Cass went to Blüdhaven bc of it). The whole plot isn't that important but jsyk!  
> 


	23. One & Only

There was a boy standing in the Cave. Maybe eight years old, maybe nine. Tim couldn’t tell, he was bad at guessing children’s age. The boy had golden skin, short black hair and was wearing a white skin-tight suit. A superhero? But he was pretty young and Bruce wouldn’t just take any kid in and bring him to the Batcave.

Then again, Tim remembered how Jason pretty much ran to Bruce’ door in a Robin suit, told him he knew Bruce Wayne was Batman and demanded him to save Tim. A smile tugged on Tim’s lips as he recalled the memories of them, years ago.

But this kid— he was no Jason. He wasn’t here to save a friend. No, instead the kid was just attacking Batman. Huh, that was different.

"My weekend in the mountains was pretty uneventful. What did I miss?" Tim crossed his arms in front of his chest.

The boy stopped in his attempts at fighting Bruce and looked up. Dark blue eyes glared at Tim.

"It gets worse," the young boy snarled.

"Robin. I’d like you to meet Damian. He’ll be staying with us for a while," Bruce introduced him.

Tim walked closer to those two and now realized just how fucking tiny the boy was. That really was just a kid. About the same age when Tim had first been kidnapped by Joker. He guessed, he should be nice.

"Hey, how are you?" Tim reached out and offered Damian his hand. A few seconds passed but Damian didn’t even flinch, just stared at him with those intense blue eyes that were somehow familiar to Tim. "Uh… Here in this world, we call this gesture a handshake," Tim joked, trying to break the ice between them.

The boy’s glare just got more intense. "Don’t patronize me or I’ll break your face," he snapped at Tim. _Jesus_.

Tim raised his eyebrows and turned to Bruce.

"Enough! Alfred will help you unpack. It’s been a long and difficult journey. You should get some rest," Bruce instructed him. Damian was already walking away and towards the stairs.

"Don’t tell me what I should do! Mother let me do what I want."

"Things are different here. I said Alfred will help you unpack."

Alfred hurried to the boy."Allow me to show you to your temporary quarters, young sir."

"Fuck you."

Who was this sassy rude child? Who did he think he was to talk to _Alfred_ like that?

"Batman?" Tim eyed Bruce, waiting for an explanation why he just let that brat talk like that, _and_ took him to the Batcave. If he was another lost orphan, Bruce’ taste really was bad.

"According to Talia, he’s my son. We only just met, in London. I’m still dealing with it."

A son. A whole ass son. Tim should’ve known with how many women Bruce had romanced here and there, that he one day would knock someone up.

"I disappear into the hills for a weekend and suddenly you have a son living with us?"

 

* * *

 

Tim really hated judging people by their parents. There were plenty of children that turned out all right despite the fact that their parents were assholes. Kon, for example, if you count Lex as his father. Bad example, considering his friend was dead now. There was Raven. And Jason. Jason’s father was a complete piece of shit from what he told Tim, and Jason was— he was the _best_ person there was. At least, to Tim, he was. Maybe some people in Gotham had other things to say about Red Hood, especially the criminals but for Tim, he was a good person. He was sure he could come up with more examples if he wouldn’t be bleeding out on the floor of the Batcave.

Yeah, not everyone was a piece of shit just because their parents were. Damian, apparently, was. Apart from having a foul mouth, being a brat, making fun of Tim and mimicking his voice, he was also a killer. And Tim was sure the kid actually tried to kill him but just let him lie here in his own blood, convinced that Tim was dead. Stupid kid, sprouting something about Tim not being worthy enough. What a fucking joke, it wasn’t like Tim was Bruce’ son. He literally had made up a whole ass uncle, made M’gann transform into said uncle and pretend to be him, done his best to cover his tracks, so he wouldn’t end up in the foster system. Tim had done so much to _not_ be Bruce’ son and yet Damian had shouted at him for being where he should be. Like there weren’t Jason and Dick he could’ve attacked.

Tim was sure he would’ve succeeded in killing him if he hadn’t run off before he could finish the job.

Maybe he will die. Tim wasn’t sure how grave his injuries were and his brain was turning into mush but there was— there was just a lot of blood surrounding him. He tried to move but he couldn’t.

"Yo, anyone here?" Jason’s familiar voice came. _Jason_.

"Jay," Tim tried to call out but his voice came out so weak, he was sure Jason didn’t even hear him.

But he didn’t need to. "Tim! Shit, Tim!" Jason ran towards him. "Fuck, what happened? No— shut up, don’t say anything."

Tim tried to pry his eyes open. It hurt, everything hurt so much but when his eyes opened, he saw Jason crouching next to him. "Jay?"

"I got you," Jason said, "don’t worry. I got you. I’m here, babybird."

Tim would smile if he could. "I know," he replied before he passed out.

 

* * *

 

 

Tim woke up and Jason was sitting next to the bed Tim was lying on, on a chair. He was sleeping, his head dropped and Tim didn’t even want to wake him up. It reminded him a little bit of him sleeping next to Jason’s bed when he was injured from the explosion Joker caused. He remembered how he refused to leave Jason’s side, fighting Bruce, Alfred, and Dick until they gave up and let him stay.

"Jason," Tim said quietly.

Jason immediately reacted and looked up. "Tim!" He smiled and came closer, getting off from the chair to touch Tim’s cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," Tim said and winced. "Water?"

"Of course, babybird." Jason gave Tim a glass of water he probably had prepared already. Tim was downing it all in one go.

"I’ll kill him," Jason said.

Tim remembered what happened again. Damian, apparently Bruce’ and Talia Al Ghul’s son. "Jason."

"Shit, do you know how I— I found you lying in your own blood! Fuck! I thought you died when I first saw you!"

"I didn’t die," Tim said.

"Yeah, no shit." Jason scoffed. "I’ll kill that little brat."

"I hate him too but _no_."

"Do you think I care that the kid’s like nine? I don’t. I could take him out, I know. He tried to kill you!" Tim smiled. "Why are you smiling? I was scared! I thought— I thought I’d lose you!" Jason’s voice got weaker.

"You won’t lose me," Tim said. "Not now. Or ever."

"Yeah, right, like we can ever promise anything like that considering what our job is!" Jason took Tim’s hand in his. Tim’s heart beat faster at the touch and it was embarrassing how the monitor he was connected to, showed the little change in his heart rate.

"You can’t kill him," Tim said.

"Yes, I can. Nobody’s allowed to lay a finger on you or hurt you."

Tim rolled his eyes. "You know I’m Robin, right? You’re the one who kept bugging me to become a vigilante."

Jason pouted. "Shut up, I know. But this is different. This is _personal._ Babybird, if I’d lose you… I wouldn’t know what to do. I can’t lose you."

Tim’s heart tightened. "I know," Tim whispered. "I’ve been through this too, remember? I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it for a long time."

Jason looked down. "You must’ve felt like shit, huh?"

"Yeah."

Jason brought Tim’s hand to his cheek and closed his eyes. "I mean it, though. I think if you weren’t here with me, if someone killed you, I’d paint the whole city red."

"Jason."

Jason opened his eyes. "I’m just saying the truth. You can keep your whole morality speech. I’d kill everyone."

Tim sighed. He would have to talk with Jason about that some other time. Not now, right now he just wanted to savor the moment. Jason looked so _worried,_ and the way he held Tim’s hand against his cheek… for a moment, Tim could pretend they were more than just friends. But he actually didn’t know what he’d do if he’d lose Jason. Maybe he would go crazy too.

"What happened?"

Jason gave Tim a recap about the recent events and Tim stared at him in disbelief.

"So, Bruce has a son."

"Fucking demon. Bruce and Talia? A combination that could only spawn the worst demon brat from the deepest parts of hell."

Tim laughed and then let out a small cry. "Stop making me laugh, Jay. Hurts."

"Sorry, sorry." Jason smiled. "Anyway, I have to go."

"Huh? Where to?"

"Gotta make sure the brat pays for what he did to you before he’s gone again." Jason got up from the chair.

"Jason!"

"I won’t kill him." Jason hesitated. "Not yet, at least."

Tim glared at him but Jason leaned down, brushed a few strands that were sticking against Tim’s forehead out of his face, and placed a kiss on it. "I’ll be back before you know it. Promise."

Tim pursed his lips. "Fine. Don’t kill him but kick his ass for me."

Jason grinned and brushed his thumb against Tim’s cheekbone. "Will do, babybird."

For a moment, Tim wanted to pull him down and kiss him. With all these platonic forehead and cheek kisses they’ve exchanged lately, Tim found it more frustrating each time. He craved Jason, he wanted to kiss him so badly and feel those lips on top of his but he didn’t do it. Instead, he smiled at Jason and watched him walk out of the room.

Tim regretted it a little bit at that moment that he didn’t do anything.

Maybe one day, he’ll have enough courage to just drag Jason into a kiss that he had longed for so long now. And then he was going to savor it. Considering Jason wouldn’t push him away, of course.

Jason was such a nice person and he really cared for Tim, he probably wouldn’t push him away. It would break his heart to turn Tim down… he’d never want to hurt Tim feelings.

It just really sucked and Tim wished he could talk to someone about it. But the other people that were closest to him were dead or gone.

 

* * *

 

Tim practically lived with Jason at this point. It wasn’t official, considering he still had his 'uncle' Edward Drake, who was his legal guardian but that didn’t really matter. Tim slept either over at the Manor, or in his and Jason’s apartment. He preferred the latter but most of the times when he was on patrol or out with Bruce as Batman and Robin and they retreated back to the cave, Tim was way too tired to drive from the Manor to his place, so he just slept there.

And since Tim was able to walk around again, Jason had practically carried him away from Bruce’ hands. He heard them fight again, Jason shouting at Bruce and telling him it was his fault that Damian almost killed Tim. Just when Tim thought their relationship might improve again, this happened. Tim wondered if they would make up one day but with what happened recently, it would take a long time.

"Open your mouth," Jason said. Tim opened his mouth and Jason put a spoon in it. "How does it taste?"

"Good. I always like your cooking, Jay. Though, it’s bit hot. Warn me next time," Tim replied.

"Sorry." Jason turned back to the stove and Tim watched his best friend. He had been practically babying Tim since then. Tim wasn’t ready to go out as Robin again, Damian really had done some great work on him. Tim didn’t— he didn’t actually mind. He liked how Jason cared for him or how he always insisted on walking Tim to his bed.

Tim sighed, as he watched Jason’s movement from the back. His back was really nice, he thought. Wide shoulders, his shirt was tight and stretched with each movement, showing his back muscles. Small hips, not as small as Tim’s but in contrasts to his wide shoulders they were.

"Jay?"

"What?" Jason turned around immediately. "Are you okay? Does your leg hurt?"

Tim laughed. "No, don’t worry." He smiled. "Are you going out on patrol tonight?"

"Yeah. Unless you want me to stay in with you. I wouldn’t mind, really. B’s been getting on my nerves lately."

"You literally kicked his nine-year-old son’s ass," Tim pointed out. "I’m pretty sure Talia wasn’t too keen on it either."

Jason grimaced. "Kid deserved it."

"Jason, he’s a child!"

"A whole ass baby assassin. And I went easy on him. Just admit that you wished, you would’ve been the one to kick his ass."

Tim laughed. "You’re kind of right there." Even if Damian was a child, he was an asshole. He couldn’t believe he really was Bruce’ son.

"Served the fucker right," Jason said. "Next time, he’ll learn not to touch what’s mine."

"I’m yours?" Tim asked, raising his eyebrows. Jason blushed immediately.

"No— sorry. You’re not like, an object to own. Especially not, you know, _mine_. I just— sorry, I—"

"It’s fine, Jay," Tim said and brought the cup of coffee that was in front of him on the table up to hide how he was blushing too. "I don’t mind. Being yours, I mean."

Jason choked on air. "Really?"

"Only if you’re mine too."

Jason smiled. "I’ve always been yours, babybird."

 _God_ , he really was trying to kill Tim. Suddenly, a knock came against the window. Tim and Jason exchanged looks. Their place was on the fifth floor.

"Sit down, I’ll check." Jason grabbed the knife and walked over to the window. The knock came from the biggest one, the one that counted as a door to the balcony. "It’s… Wonder Girl."

"Oh."

Jason opened the door and Cassie landed on the ground. "Hi."

"Did you fly up to my balcony?" Tim asked her.

"Nobody saw me?" The girl tugged a strand of her blond hair behind her air. "I swear."

Jason raised his knife. "Seriously? Can’t you just, I don’t know, fucking use the doorbell?"

Tim sighed. "Jason."

Cassie raised her eyebrows. "I’ll keep that in mind."

Jason groaned and raised his arms. "Whatever, I’m going back to cooking."

Cassie turned to Tim. "Can we talk?"

There wasn’t anything they could talk about that Tim wouldn’t mind Jason listening in on either but he nodded. "Okay." They moved to his bedroom and Cassie looked around. It was the first time she actually had been here. Tim sat down on his bed. "Did something happen?"

Cassie was currently staring at a picture Tim had framed on his desk that depicted her, Kon, Bart and him. From back then when they were still just Young Justice and first started out. She took it in her hands and a sad smile tugged on her lips. "I was going to ask you for help," she replied and looked over to Tim. "But I guess you… you can’t really do anything." Her eyes went to Tim’s bandaged leg.

"No, I can’t. And besides, I’m done with the Teen Titans for now." Too many memories tied to Kon and Bart. And Gotham needed him right now more, with both Batgirl and Spoiler being gone. He wondered how Cassie was able to do this, still being the leader of the Teen Titans when Kon and Bart were dead. She was strong, she always had been. He couldn’t imagine a better leader for their team. As for him, he just wanted to be with Jason right now. It gave him strength.

"I could use your detective and computer skills, though," Cassie said. "Can I send you some files? I have no idea about computers, so I don’t exactly know how to do that shit discreetly without traces."

"Yeah, sure. I don’t have anything to do anyway since I can’t be on the streets." Tim sighed.

Cassie grinned. "Really? It looks like you and Jason were pretty busy."

"What do you mean?"

"C’mon. You’re like an old married couple," she said.

"Jason and I— we’re not like that." God, he really wished they would be though.

"Really? You live together and he cooks for you. And the way he looks at you…" Cassie sighed and twirled one of her curls around her fingers. "I think he loves you."

"No, he doesn’t. We’re best friends."

"And I think you love him too."

"Cassie…"

The girl shrugged. "Watching you kind of makes me miss Kon. I always miss him but…" She sighed and put down the picture of them before sitting next to Tim on the bed. She loved him. Tim wouldn’t know how he would deal, if he lost Jason.

"I know," Tim said and put his hand on her shoulder. "Me too. I miss him and Bart so much. Do you… maybe want to stay for dinner?"

Cassie laughed. "Are you sure Jason’s okay with that?"

"He won’t have a say in it. Besides, I’ve had dinner with the Outlaws, and you could only imagine what a disaster that was. I’m sure you’re way better company."

Cassie snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I can imagine how dinner with _Rose_ is. And okay, if you have enough food to feed a demigoddess, I’m in."

Tim laughed. He couldn’t believe he forgot he had Cassie. He didn’t forget her but… she was also a close friend to his. Even with Bart, Kon, and Stephanie being gone, and Batgirl being with the Titans East right now, there were other people besides Jason he could confide in and trust. And Cassie sure was one of them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About tims uncle, I put him back here. In the comics, Tim just hired an actor which I thought was kinda risky and stupid so here I made him use M'gann instead. What are shape-shifting friends for.


	24. Satellite

Rose poured in three shots.

"Tequila?" Eddie asked and winced. "I hate Tequila."

"No, you don’t," Rose replied and put down the bottle. She handed the boys the shots, followed by slices of lemon. Jason sighed and took it in his hands.

"I hate you," he said.

"No, you don’t. You love me and if you weren’t so in love with your best friend, we’d do body shots." Rose licked over the back of her hand and Jason rolled his eyes and laughed. The white-haired girl poured salt over the wet spot on her hand and the boys mimicked her. "To Jason. The almost twenty-year-old virgin."

"I’ll kill you," Jason muttered but he clinked his glass with Eddie and Rose. Lick, drink, bite.

"I hate Tequila," Eddie repeated and Rose laughed.

"Shut up, Bloomberg," she teased him. "It’s your friend’s birthday. Am I allowed to smoke here?"

"No," Jason said, "and you shouldn’t smoke anyway."

Rose huffed. "Let me guess, Timmy doesn’t like it."

"No, he doesn’t." Jason sighed and rested his head on his palm as he shoved his glass over the table to Rose again. She caught it quickly and already poured them a new set of drinks.

"He should be here," Eddie said. "It’s your birthday in… two hours after all."

"I told him not to come," Jason replied. "He doesn’t need to get drunk with you."

Rose raised her eyebrows. "What? Is perfect cute boy too good for your friends? Or is he too innocent to get drunk?" Jason knew she wasn’t serious about it.

"No," Jason said. "I just don’t want him to get drunk with _you_. That could only end in a disaster."

"Us?" Eddie gasped. "You hurt me!"

"You mean you," Rose said, putting down the bottle again. "You’re just scared drunk you will sprout a love confession."

Jason shrugged and took the drink Rose’ poured them in. "He deserves better than a drunk confession."

Suddenly, a portal opened in the middle of the kitchen of Tim and Jason’s place. Out stepped a certain dark-haired magician in a suit.

"Zatara!" Eddie shouted, jumped off the chair and hugged his boyfriend. Zatara clicked his tongue and shoved Eddie away but the tip of his ears turned slightly pink. It was cute in a way, Jason thought. How Zatara always used to parade around with girls tugged under his arms and flirting with them nonchalantly but now he was all shy when it came to Eddie, his best friend, and boyfriend.

"Quit that," he snarled at Eddie and turned to Jason. "I heard it’s your birthday soon."

Jason leaned back and raised his eyebrows. "You’re here to congratulate me? _You_? Wow, I’m honored."

"Yeah, didn’t you forget Eddie’s birthday?" Rose asked.

"I didn’t forget it, I was busy," Zatara said.

"He made up for it plenty afterwards," Eddie said with the brightest grin.

"You know what, I don’t need to know that. Want a drink?" Jason asked, raising his glass. Zatara eyed the kitchen table, the Tequila bottle, the slices of lemons Jason had cut, the potato chips.

"No, thank you. I have a show soon. I just wanted to congratulate you." He brushed over his black suit jacket. Jason didn’t expect much more from him anyway. Zatara wasn’t known for being a very good friend but Jason knew that despite his attitude, he was actually not that bad of a guy.

"Here’s a present. You should open it with your boyfriend." Zatara placed a small gift on the table. "It’s from me and Eddie."

"My boyfriend?"

"Robin."

Jason rubbed his temples. "Did you tell him we’re boyfriends?" he asked Eddie.

"I mean, you kind of are. You live together! You— you always call him by a pet name! You hold hands, cuddle, _and_ exchange forehead and cheek kisses! _In public._ "

"Yeah, platonically!"

"Platonic dick sucking is probably one of the things you do too!" Eddie shouted. Jason wanted to cry.

"How many more people did you tell?" Jason asked, hoping it would just be Zatara.

Eddie hesitated. "M’gann… But that’s not fair, I tell her everything! And I didn’t even _need_ to tell her. You two don’t exactly hide it."

Jason ignored him and looked back to the magician. "Zatara, please tell me this isn’t some weird magical sex gift," he said and pointed at the gift. Zatara pressed his lips into a thin line.

"Eddie!" Jason shouted at his friend.

"You’ll thank me. I swear. We tested it a—" Zatara shoved him before Eddie could finish the sentence.

Rose laughed. "Can I get one too, whatever that is?"

"No," Zatara replied. "Wait until your birthday. I have to go now. And Jason, as much as I hate to say this, I agree with Eddie. You can’t _just be friends._ " He whispered some backwards words and another portal opened through which he disappeared.

"I’m his boyfriend," Eddie muttered, "the fuck does he mean with 'as much as I hate to say this'?"

Jason took the present in his hand. "I will not open this. Tim’s— he’s too young."

"He’s _seventeen_ , Jason," Rose pointed out with a smirk. "Not everyone’s a blushing virgin like you."

"Shut up, Wilson."

* * *

 

 

He ended up lying on the floor of their living room, Rose so close next to him that their shoulders touched. Eddie already was lying passed out on the couch, snoring loudly.

"Now that Eddie’s passed out, we should go out," Jason suggested. None of them was twenty-one yet but this was Gotham, they’d let anyone in. Except maybe Eddie because he was stupid and could never pass as twenty-one.

"Nah, it’s late," Rose said. "I’ll fall asleep soon too probably."

"You’re right. Tim’s probably coming home from patrol. God, I look stupid, don’t I?" Jason turned to Rose and she tilted her head to give him a look-over.

"Yeah," she said.

"Oh no."

"Relax, Jason. You’ve known each other for _years._ He’s seen you being way uglier."

Jason shook his head. "Probably. But I’ve never seen _him_ ugly!" He ran his hand through his hair, tugging it. "I look stupid and you never told me."

Rose giggled. "Pretty sure I’ve told you a few times."

"I look stupid and _he_ never told me. And he’s— Tim’s just so beautiful, you know?"

Rose rolled her eye and stared at the ceiling again. "Is he now?"

"Yeah. He’s so… have you seen his eyes? They’re the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. So big and round. And so light… his lashes are so cute. And his nose! That’s a damn pretty nose. I don’t know anyone with a prettier nose."

Rose laughed. "His nose," she repeated.

Jason sighed and closed his eyes, picturing Tim. "And he’s so small. He’s always been so small! I used to think he was like seven when I first met him. And his eyes were just so— so _big._ "

"Jason, you’re drunk."

"I’d think this even sober!" Jason shouted. "I want to kiss him." He let out a sigh. "I want to kiss him so badly, Rose," he repeated with a quiet voice.

Rose breathed out. "I know," she said. "Then do it."

"I can’t. I can’t do it. I’m scared." Jason squeezed his eyes shut and slapped his own cheeks. "I have to get myself together. Soon he’ll be here and I can’t shut the fuck up about his pretty eyes."

"And nose," his friend added.

"And nose! And the smile. He has the cutest smile ever. It’s just so… and have you seen his butt?"

Rose turned around on her stomach and pulled herself up on her elbows. "Yes, I’ve noticed."

"Hey, eyes off of him!"

"He’s not yours."

Jason pursed his lips. He knew Tim wasn’t his. Even if Tim said he was okay with being Jason’s. He wasn’t. One day, someone else will come and unlike Stephanie, they’ll stick around. Someone who wasn’t Jason. He’d have to be happy for him and this time not be an asshole like he was the first time. Or maybe, he’d finally fight for Tim. He wasn’t sure about what he’d do yet.

The door opened and both Jason and Rose sat up.

"You’re still awake," Tim said and stepped into the living room. His hair was messy and his cheeks a little bit red, probably from the cold air outside. He was really the most beautiful boy Jason had ever seen.

"You’re beautiful," Jason breathed out and Rose hit him.

"Uh… thank you?" Tim looked at Rose. "How drunk is he?"

"Very," she said.

"I’m not that drunk," Jason muttered and Rose shrugged.

"You’re right, you’re not as drunk as Eddie." She pointed at their other friend on the couch.

"Does he… is he okay? Does he need a blanket?" Tim asked.

"You’re an angel," Jason murmured and got up from the floor.

"No, you can just leave him like that." Rose got up as well and stretched herself. "Can I crash in your room, Jay?"

Tim blinked. "You want to sleep in his room?"

"Yes." Rose tilted her head. "Why, jealous?" Tim choked and Jason glared at her. "Don’t worry. You’re okay with him sleeping in your room, right?"

"Rose!"

Tim cleared his throat. "I’m… I’m okay with that. And by the way, Jay… Happy birthday."

Jason wanted to kiss him right there but he wasn’t that stupid and drunk yet. Instead, he leaned down to hug Tim, picking the shorter boy up until his feet left the ground. "Thank you."

"Jay!" Tim shouted but he was laughing.

"You’re so insufferable," Rose complained.

* * *

 

 

When Jason woke up, Tim was still lying next to him. He seemed startled at Jason’s sudden movement.

"How long have you been awake?" Jason asked.

"Not long," Tim murmured.

"Did you just stare at me in my sleep?" It was supposed to be a joke but Tim seemed embarrassed.

"Are you okay?" he quickly changed the subject.

"I don’t have a hangover, if that’s what you’re asking."

"Good." Tim relaxed.

It took a while but Jason realized what position he was in. He was lying in bed with Tim. Right next to the boy he loved. This was the best birthday of his life actually. He was going to thank Rose for it later.

"You smell," Tim stated.

Nevermind, he was going to kill Rose. "Gee, thanks. That’s how I want to be waken up on my birthday."

Tim laughed and brought his hand up to Jason’s face. Hesitantly at first, as he played with Jason’s hair. Jason never wanted him to stop.

"Happy birthday," he said.

"You said that last night already."

Tim shrugged. "I thought you forgot."

"No, I remember everything."

Tim grinned. "Really? You remember calling me beautiful?"

Jason held his breath. "Yes," he admitted quietly. Tim’s eyes widened for a short second.

"Oh. You were really drunk."

"I was," Jason agreed. "But that wasn’t drunk me talking. I think… I really always think you’re beautiful."

Tim was blushing hard now but he still didn’t pull his arm back. "You do?" His voice was so quiet, Jason barely caught his words.

"Jason!" Rose shouted and slammed the door open. Yes, he was definitely going to kill her for ruining this moment. Tim quickly pushed himself away from Jason as fast as he could, almost falling out of the bed. "Oh. Am I… interrupting something?"

"No!" Tim shouted. "What’s up?"

Rose narrowed her eyes and watched them, as she leaned against the doorframe. "Eddie’s throwing up and ruining your toilet," she said.

"I hate him," Jason said and Tim let out a groan. "Shouldn’t you like hold his hair or something? It is pretty long."

Rose scoffed. "You think _I_ would do that?"

Jason got up from the bed and angrily stepped towards her. "Next time, don’t interrupt us," he whispered in her ear. She just laughed in his face.

"It wasn’t like you were going to kiss him anyway. You smell of alcohol, better brush your teeth first, loverboy." She winked.

* * *

 

 

Tim was adorable. And really damn handsome as well, Jason wasn’t surprised people kept hitting on him even if it made him a bit jealous. He was just— really cute in that red apron with the Wonder Woman logo in the front that Jason usually only ever wore and made Tim swear not to tell anyone else about it.

"You sure you don’t need my help?" Jason asked.

Tim huffed. "No. It’s your birthday and I’m cooking for you," he said. "You always talk about how you want me to cook for you."

Jason laughed into his fist. "Yeah, but I was joking. I never thought I’d actually ever see you _cook_." He was sure he had never even seen Tim cooking. Except for when they cooked together and Jason taught him how to. Or when he spotted Tim sometimes at the stove when it was 3am and he came back from patrol and tried to make French toast and failed, looking up at Jason with those big eyes of his and crying "I can’t do this, Jay.".

"First of all, rude. It sounds like you have no faith in me."

Jason snorted. "I don’t."

Tim gasped and raised the wooden spool he was holding. " _Rude._ I’ve cooked before."

"Yeah, we’ve cooked _together._ And even then you’re a mess."

Tim pouted. "Can’t you just appreciate me being nice?"

Jason laughed and walked over to where Tim was standing. He stopped right behind Tim. "I do, trust me. Smells good by the way."

"Really?" Tim smiled excitedly. "I knew it. I can do it. Maybe I should make more and we can eat it tomorrow too—"

"Don’t get so over your head," Jason said and chuckled. Without even thinking, he placed his hands on Tim’s hips and put his chin on Tim’s shoulder. Tim froze for a second and Jason almost pulled back if it wouldn’t be for his best friend that turned around. He was so close to him, his face only just a few inches away from Jason’s.

He could just lean in now. He could just claim Tim’s beautiful pink lips with his, give him a kiss that had been so long due, he could spin Tim around like this easily. He was so small, Jason’s hands were so big on his hips, he’d just have to turn him around, crash him against his body and kiss him so hard that they would forget there was a pan and a pot on the stove. He’d lift him up on the counter and kiss him everywhere Tim let him and he’d tell him how much he loved him and wanted him.

"Jason," Tim breathed out. His gaze dropped and before any of them could say anything, the water boiled, spilling all over the stove. Both of them shouted and Jason jumped back.

"Turn it off!" he screamed.

The moment was ruined yet again.

 

* * *

 

 

The food was a bit burned but otherwise really good. Tim was pretty proud of himself and even took some pictures like the kind of hipster he was. At least, Jason was sure he wouldn’t post them on his social media.

"By the way, what did the Outlaws get you?" Tim asked while they sat at the kitchen table across each other.

"Rose got me a knife," Jason said and Tim laughed.

"I’m not surprised. Is it this one?" He walked up and opened one of the drawers in the kitchen and picked out a knife. It was beautiful, a gold curved blade, red hilt, and the word 'Outlaws' embedded in it.

"Yes…"

"You just… put a knife in our drawer," Tim said.

"I mean, it _is_ our knife drawer."

" _Kitchen_ knives!"

"You’re almost never in the kitchen anyway! And it proved last night to be really good for cutting lemons!"

Tim laughed. "You’re such a dork." He twirled the knife around in his hands and it was one of the hottest things Jason had ever seen.

"Jesus, didn’t know you’re so good with knives."

"I’m just really good with my fingers," Tim blurted out and blushed. "I mean— uh. What did Eddie get you?" His gaze wandered over to the little present that Zatara had given him and Jason hadn’t unpacked yet or was planning on. "You haven’t opened it?"

"Nope. And don’t open it."

"Why not?" Tim put the knife Rose got him down into the drawer again and grabbed for the present. "There’s a card. _For Jason and Robin. Zatara and Eddie._ Robin? Huh, they even got _me_ something?"

"Don’t open it!" Jason shouted.

"I’m curious now."

"It’s stupid. Please don’t." Jason was crying and Tim raised his eyebrows but his friend was a little shit so he opened the ribbon that held the present together.

"Babybird, I’m _warning_ you."

"I don’t see the problem. It’s also a present for me, isn’t it?"

"Yeah but— it’s." Jason grabbed the present out of Tim’s hand before he could open it. "A magic thing. Eddie told me to only open it in private when I… we… uh." He cleared his throat.

"We what?"

"Forget it. Zatara just thought we’re like, dating."

"Oh." Tim dropped his hands. "Is it some weird sex thing?"

Jason choked. "Most likely."

" _Oh_ ," Tim repeated.

"I should throw it away, forget it." He was so going to kill those two someday. Rose was the only friend that mattered now.

"No, keep it," Tim said. "Maybe you’ll need it someday."

Jason wanted to cry by the image Tim set in his head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	25. Perfect Love

Cass’ place was small. There wasn’t much to it but Tim liked it, it was comfortable and a little bit messy. Not as messy as Tim was but messy enough that it would give Alfred and Jason a shock. She wordlessly walked to her kitchen and put on water to boil.

"Tea?"

"I like coffee more," Tim said.

"Tea," she repeated and Tim sighed. Her kitchen table only had two chairs and Tim grabbed one of them to sit down, taking off his mask. They didn’t really say anything while they waited for the water to boil and Cass prepared them two cups of tea. She placed them on the table and Tim breathed in the warmth of the beverage. It smelled like lemon.

"What do you think?" Tim asked.

"I haven’t seen her."

Tim pressed his lips together. "I’ve seen the news. It’s just… it makes me so angry to see some Fake Spoiler on the streets. That was Stephanie’s name. It wasn’t just some mantle, it was— it was _Stephanie’s._ "

There was a new Spoiler on the streets and it upset Tim. Stephanie was one of his closest friends, and seeing someone else just picking up the costume and jump around in Gotham without permission, like it meant nothing when Stephanie died, made his blood boil.

"Doesn’t it upset you?" Tim asked.

"Of course," Cass replied. It was stupid he even asked. He knew how close those two girls had become. They were best friends. He was sure Cass was just as upset as he was when she found out about the new Spoiler. "Do you have a video?"

Tim nodded and took out his phone. He clicked on a video from a surveillance camera depicting the new Spoiler in action and handed it over to Cass. It was Stephanie’s suit, exactly the same. The same shade of purple— no, pardon, _eggplant_ —except this girl put her hoodie down and a blond ponytail tugged out of her black full face mask.

"What do you think?"

Cass’ eyes narrowed and she watched the video while sipping on her tea. "That’s Stephanie."

"Yeah, it’s a wannabe Spoiler—"

"No. That’s _Stephanie_."

"What do you mean?"

Cass slid over the phone back across the table to Tim. "Her movements. It’s Steph."

"Cass… Stephanie is dead."

Cass nodded. "I know." She put down her mug. "We don’t stay dead. Come, let’s find her."

Tim blinked. "Now?"

"Yes." The girl smiled at him and Tim stared down at his mug.

"I haven’t even drunk a single bit from the tea," he murmured but he got up. He didn’t want to get his hopes up but Cass sounded so sure it was Stephanie. He knew Cass could read other people’s movement better than anyone else, could tell them apart just by the way their body moved during fights but was this really Stephanie?

* * *

 

 

They found her fighting the North Korean Mafia. Tim wanted to shout at her, ask her if she was Stephanie but he couldn’t, not when those men were firing guns at the three of them. Luckily, they had Cass on their side.

Once it was all over, Cass turned to Spoiler.

"Stephanie?"

"How did you—" Spoiler tugged on her mask and took it off. It was Stephanie. It really was the blond girl Tim fell in love with years ago, his first love. It felt like a lifetime ago but she really was here right in front of him. No visible scars either, just Stephanie and her blond hair and blue eyes he used to think were the most beautiful ones he had ever seen (it were Jason’s now).

"Stephanie?!" Tim shouted, ran over to her and hugged her. Stephanie laughed and then pulled Cass in the hug. The other girl laughed as well and squeezed the two of them tightly.

"Spoiler." It was Bruce’ voice that approached them. He flew through one of the busted windows and landed in front of them.

"Glad to see you too, B," Stephanie said with a smile.

"I have a lot of questions," Bruce said.

Oh, so did Tim. "I’m sure you do. But will you answer mine first?" Stephanie let out a deep breath. "I’m back. But am I welcome back?"

It was a stupid question. This was Stephanie. She was part of the Batfamily.

"If you want it," Bruce said.

"I want it!" Stephanie grabbed his arm excitedly.

"Maybe some time to think—"

"I’ve had all the time to think."

Tim hesitated and looked to Cass. Due to her mask, he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Scratch that, he never could tell what he was thinking. Then, he looked over to Bruce. "You knew she wasn’t dead."

"I suspected it," Bruce replied. "Everything about it felt wrong, and until I had done enough digging… Now you know why there’s no memorial in the cave."

Tim should’ve known. People called him a detective but he was really stupid sometimes. Stephanie grinned and hit Tim’s shoulder.

"Don’t look like that. Aren’t you happy I’m back?"

"Of course, I am."

"Good." She put on her mask back on. "I want to say hello to Alfred too. And Jason. By the way, did he finally confess?"

Tim blinked. "What?"

"Nothing."

* * *

 

 

Stephanie was alive. She was alive and breathing. Alive. More than just alive, she was glowing practically, smiling at them. Tim was glad he had her back, he had missed her so much. And by the way Cass smiled at her, Tim knew she missed her just as much, if not even more than he had.

They called it a day, Stephanie was at the Manor, Cass joined her as well to stay for the night. Tim was about to retreat when Jason called over to him through the comms.

"Babybird, I need your help."

"Where are you? What’s going on?" Tim said immediately, grabbing his staff. He heard a gunshot through the line.

"I’m sending you a location, need backup."

"I’ll be right there," Tim said and jumped on his motorbike.

* * *

 

 

He had no idea what the hell Jason got himself into but he didn’t even question it. He just saw Red Hood fighting a bunch of men that were shooting at him, all on his own. Tim jumped into battle without question.

"Took you long enough," Jason commented.

He rolled his eyes and joined his fight, covering Jason’s back. "I was on the other side of the city. Couldn’t you have anyone else?" Tim shouted.

"Am not gonna ask B for assistance," Jason said while fighting alongside Tim. There was a guy going for Tim but Jason reacted quickly and shoved him away. "And Batgirl didn’t reply. The others are out of town."

Tim was about to say that Cass was with Stephanie at the Manor right now and they were probably catching up on all the things she missed, but his words were cut short when someone punched him in the face. "Rude! Can’t you see I’m having a conversation here?" Tim grunted at his attacker. Quickly, he knocked the guy out.

They worked well together, they always have. They’ve trained together since they were children and since Jason got back two years ago, they’ve teamed up way more than Tim could keep track of. He could predict Jason’s movement, read his body language, know how to react accordingly, which steps to take, and he always could count on Jason to watch his back.

Several minutes later, they were breathing hard, standing back to back while several men lied on his feet. "Okay, what was this about?" Tim asked, dropping his staff.

Jason was about to say something but a gunshot came from the distance. Tim jumped at Jason, throwing him down and falling on top of him.

"Are you hurt?" Jason asked and Tim shook his head. Jason grabbed him, dragged him behind a car and looked up. "Guess there’s still one sniper we missed."

"Can you see him?" Tim asked and turned around, trying his best to get a look too.

"Yes. I’m going in."

"What? No! That’s way too dangerous."

"Nah, I got that."

"I’ve almost lost you once! I’m not going to lose you again!" Tim protested. He was sure Jason was smirking now under the helmet but he couldn’t see it.

"Don’t worry, babybird. One lousy sniper or an entire army can’t keep me away from you." He jumped on the car, holding both of his guns up and fired while running towards the sniper. Fuck Jason.

Tim ran after him. He could hear the sniper shouting loudly when he was shot but at the same time, Jason fell to the ground too.

"Fuck!" Jason shouted loudly.

"Jay!" Tim ran towards his best friend. He was bleeding. "You were shot."

"Yeah, _fuck_. It’s not that bad. Just—"

Tim didn’t believe him, so he peeled off Jason’s leather jacket and checked. It really wasn’t that bad, he wasn’t going to die from it or from the loss of blood that came with it but… it frustrated him still. "Are you _stupid_? I told you not to go in!" Tim shouted.

Today had been perfect. He got Stephanie back who had thought for a year to be dead. And now he almost lost Jason!

"What the fuck, why are you mad at _me_ now?" Jason took off his helmet, his hair underneath in a tousled mess. "I got _shot_. You should be worried."

"Yes, but only because you were so reckless!"

"Shut up, I got the job done and I didn’t die!"

Jason didn’t understand it. "Jason, this isn’t some game! You could’ve died! You were shot!"

"You sound exactly like _he_ used to sound," Jason snarled at him and pushed Tim away.

"You don’t get it, do you? I can’t lose you, Jason!"

"What’s the problem? It’s not the first time I got shot!"

But the first time when Tim was right there, next to him. He could’ve stopped Jason but he didn’t and if anything would’ve happened to Jason, it would’ve been his fault. And he would have never had the chance to tell him.

Tim held his breath.

Maybe he was wrong. He reacted on instinct when he crashed his lips against Jason’s. Their teeth clicked against each other at first. He could be wrong. But there was no way Tim could stop himself now. Not when he just thought for a short second that Jason had died. Not when his heart had ached for Jason for so long, when he had wanted to reach out and kiss Jason every time the other boy was just close to him which he was _often_. And especially not when the way Jason looked at Tim made Tim feel hot inside, making him feel _special_ like nobody else ever had. Even if Jason had always looked at him like that, ever since they were children. Like Tim was more than just some small fanboy running around Batman and Robin.

He didn’t even remember how it had been last time he had kissed someone. Never had ever since he realized the person he wanted to kiss the most was his best friend. He didn’t really think much right now anyway.

Jason’s lips were warm and softer than Tim had imagined. Tim wanted to pull back at first, because yes, he probably was wrong since Jason wasn’t reacting, but then Jason’s hand placed himself on Tim the back of Tim’s neck and pulled him closer. He was kissing Tim back.

And Tim lost himself in the kiss and in Jason. He closed his eyes and savored the moment. When they parted, he didn’t open his eyes at first. Heat was rushing through his body and he could barely move. Slowly, his eyes opened and he wished Jason wasn’t wearing his domino mask. He wanted to look into Jason’s eyes so badly.

"Thank you."

"What for?" Tim asked.

"Doing what I was too chicken for doing for all those years," Jason replied and pulled Tim down by the back of his head into another kiss. This time, he was just _desperately_ clinging onto Jason. Their tongues met halfway and Tim let out a deep sigh between their kisses. He’s wanted this for so long. And it was even better than he had imagined.

Even if Jason was basically bleeding under him, they were in the middle of the streets, and some security camera probably caught Red Hood and Robin making out surrounded by unconscious bodies of the members of some gang. It was still perfect because it was _them._

"We need to get— get me patched up," Jason said, wincing in pain when Tim pulled away.

"Shit. Yeah."

"I’d continue here if I wasn’t… you know," Jason quirked his eyebrows and Tim laughed.

* * *

 

 

Tim had a safe house not too far away from here. He dragged Jason all the way to it and placed him on the couch. He disappeared to get his kit and when he came back, Jason had already taken off his mask, jacket, and shirt.

Tim took off his cape and mask, dropped to his knees and Jason smiled.

"Don’t worry. It’s not that bad."

"You’re bleeding all over my couch," Tim pointed out.

"Touché. It’s not— it really isn’t bad." Tim inspected the wound. It really wasn’t as bad as it looked like but Jason being shot was bad enough already.

"Get your hands off," Tim said and slapped Jason’s hand away. "I’ll take it from here."

"Sweet." Jason dropped his head back and Tim glanced up but shook his head. Couldn’t be distracted from kneeling in front of shirtless your crush between his legs when you had to stitch him up.

"Who even were those people?"

Jason gave him a brief summary of what he got himself into. Tim sighed, finished stitching him, bandaged his friend and cleaned him up. "How was your night?" Jason asked once it was all done and he was finished with his story.

"Oh. Right. Stephanie is alive."

Jason’s eyes widened in shock. "What the _fuck_. And you didn’t tell me immediately?"

"Sorry, got distracted," Tim murmured.

"She’s alive. Wow." Jason closed his eyes. "Nobody really stays dead, huh?"

"Don’t say that." There were still his other friends, and his parents, that were very much dead. Jason’s eyes opened again.

"I’m sorry," he said.

"Don’t be," Tim said and got up from his knees. He didn’t even step back and just stayed there, right between Jason’s legs. Jason had to put his head back to look up at him. Tim licked over his lips and his lips curled into a wide smile.

"You’re happy."

"What gave it away? My smile or the fact that one of my best friends isn’t dead? Or the fact that we finally kissed?" Tim joked and Jason rolled his eyes.

"Do you need more painkillers?" Tim asked.

"No. I don’t wanna be out when I’m here— with you. Like this," Jason said quietly.

Tim leaned down and closed the distance between them. Hesitantly at first, but Jason reacted to it immediately. He pulled Tim closer by his hips until Tim was straddling his lap. Jason’s hands roamed over his upper body, from his hips to his back and Tim’s head was spinning.

"Is this okay?" Tim asked. "Or does it hurt? I shouldn’t—" He wanted to get off Jason’s lap but Jason pulled him close, his hand firmly on Tim’s lower back.

"Don’t. Stay here, babybird." There was a lump at the back of Tim’s throat, his heart was beating faster. He couldn’t say anything, so he just looked into Jason’s eyes. "I love you," Jason whispered. "I love you so much, babybird."

"I love you too, Jay."

Jason let out a small cry and hugged him, burying his face in Tim’s shoulder. "Fuck. I should get shot more often."

Tim laughed. "No, you won’t. I’ll kick your ass if you do." Jason laughed and then winced from the pain.

"So… you really love me too?" Jason asked.

"I literally kissed you, Jay. Of course, I do."

"Good. Just going to make sure. I can’t believe it." Tim grinned and kissed Jason again.

"Do you believe it now?"

"Mh… I don’t know yet. Maybe you should keep doing that until I do," Jason joked.

"I will," Tim promised.

"For how long?"

Tim hesitated. "It was a bit after my dad found out I was Robin. Maybe earlier, I just realized it then. When we… remember the sleep-over we had? When you asked me if I wanted to move in with you?"

Jason nodded. "How could I forget? I don’t forget anything with you."

"Okay, sap. What about you?"

"Don’t laugh. It was— you know, remember when we were kids and it was your first birthday we spent together?"

Tim blinked. He searched for the memory that was at the back of his mind, the one where they were still little Tim and Jason, at their first gala together, sneaking out with bags full of snacks. No way.

"Jason. We were children."

"You were a cute child," Jason said.

"Jason, that was— _seven_ years ago! Seven years!"

Jason blushed and shrugged. "I mean, the wait was worth it."

"Why didn’t you say anything?"

"I don’t know? We were children? You were _ten._ And then I almost died and left Gotham and when I came back you had a girlfriend!" he shouted. "And I just got used to it. Half of my life I just spent being in love with you, I never expected you’d ever like me back."

Tim felt like an asshole now. "Stephanie— is that why you. You were such an ass to her?"

"Not my proudest moment," Jason admitted.

Everything, Tim saw in a different light now. Their little moments, all the teasing and jokes from the Outlaws, Jason’s disapproval towards both Stephanie and Kon… "You were in love with me for so long," Tim murmured. "I’m sorry I was so blind."

"I mean, you did the first step. So, I don’t mind, babybird. Not at all." Jason smiled and brushed his palm over Tim’s cheek. "I would’ve waited even longer for you."

"I was jealous of Eddie, you know," Tim blurted out.

"What? I told you there was nothing between us!"

"I know…" Tim scratched the back of his head.

"I was drunk and it was a one-time thing. I swear. I never— I actually haven’t kiss anyone else except for him," Jason admitted. Tim was surprised.

"Really? What… what about the whole thing where you said you were _busy_ while you were with the Outlaws?" Tim asked.

Jason snorted. "Right. Like I could be with anyone else when I had you."

Tim smiled and he cupped Jason’s face. "I’m your first boyfriend! _Aw._ " And his first love. Tim squeezed Jason’s cheeks together. He was so cute. He had always been so sweet to Tim, and nobody ever believed Tim when he told them how sweet he was. They couldn’t believe Red Hood was just a softie underneath, and Tim wished everyone could see it. But then again, he liked that it was a side Jason just showed him.

Jason blushed. "Shut up. I’ll kick you off my lap, babybird."

Tim giggled and kissed his boyfriend’s forehead. _Boyfriend._ It sounded really damn good. "Was that also why you didn’t want Bruce to adopt me?"

"I’m not going to date my legal brother," Jason replied. "What will the press say? They’d tear me apart. They already talk shit about me enough."

Tim laughed and kissed him again.

* * *

 

 

That night, they both went to bed cuddled together. It felt nice, feeling Jason’s body heat so close to his. He missed their sleepovers when they shared a bed. Now, he could have that back.

Tim had Stephanie back and Jason in his arms and for the first time in a long while, all was well.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened!


	26. Around You

Jason opened the door to their shared apartment to find Tim was already standing right in front of it. Before he could even speak up, Tim fell over his arms.

"Woah," Jason said, staggering by the force of Tim who practically threw himself against Jason. "Easy there, babybird."

Tim had his legs curled around Jason’s waist and Jason quickly put his arms around Tim to carry him.

"I missed you," Tim said.

"I was gone for _a_ _weekend_ ," Jason replied with a smile. Tim leaned down to kiss him and god, if this was what expected him every time he was away on a short mission with Rose and Eddie, Jason would leave way more often. That was also actually a lie, he didn’t want to leave Tim. It had been the first time since they got together that he left and he had missed Tim during that time so much. Jason walked into their place, kicked the door shut with his foot and placed Tim on the kitchen counter.

Tim put his hands on the sides of Jason’s face and pulled him in for another kiss. Jason closed his eyes and kissed Tim back. Yes, he definitely missed this. Once he finally knew what it was like to kiss Tim, he never wanted to stop. He was addicted to the taste of Tim, to the quiet sighs that erupted from the back of Tim’s throat, to the feeling of Tim’s fingers when they dug in Jason’s hair, and to Tim’s skillful tongue.

"So… how was the mission?" Tim asked.

"I told you most of it on the phone," Jason said. He ran his hands over Tim’s thighs. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe he could do it. Just touch him when he wanted and Tim would let him, he would even ask for it. Sometimes even beg for it.

"I don’t know, maybe something happened on your way to Gotham."

"Nah. Met our neighbor from underneath though. Told me to not play the music so loud," Jason said.

Tim inhaled sharply. "Mrs. O’Neil? Shit, she already hates me enough."

"She said your music is bad."

Tim wrinkled his nose. "The Clash isn’t bad. She has no taste and I don’t feel bad about her hating me now."

Jason laughed. "Stop, soon she’ll complain to the landlord and he’ll evict us."

"You’re a Wayne. You’ll just have to wave with some money around and he’ll evict _her_."

"You’re the worst."

Tim leaned his head back, a smile playing around his lips. "You love it."

Jason licked his lips. "Damn right, I do." His hands moved from Tim’s thighs up to his hips. So small, Jason thought, as he lifted Tim’s shirt a little bit and pushed his thumbs against the naked skin.

"You can do something for me," Tim said.

Jason smirked, slowly sliding his hands further up, stopping right below Tim’s chest. "Yeah?"

Tim hummed as he pulled Jason closer with his legs which were still around Jason’s waist. "Mmh. Yes." He buries his fingers in Jason’s hair, nails scraping Jason's scalp slightly.

Jason buried his nose in the crook of Tim’s neck, letting his lips ghost over the pale skin. "What do you want me to do, babybird?"

"What will you do for me?" Tim’s voice was husky and Jason shivered. His mind went off to think about _all_ the things he’d do for Tim to make him feel good.

"Anything."

"Okay, can you cook for me? I haven’t had a home-cooked meal since you left."

Jason froze and stepped back. "Are you kidding me?"

"No." Tim smiled at him innocently and Jason let out a groan.

"Damn, babybird. You get me all hot and bothered for food."

"You told me you’d do _anything_ for me."

Jason rolled his eyes and booped his boyfriend’s nose. "All right, but you’re helping me cook. Can’t believe you don’t eat properly when I’m not around."

"I do! I just get delivery!" Tim jumped off the counter.

"That’s a waste of money, Tim!" Jason shouted and Tim just laughed.

If Jason knew, that was their last truly happy moment together for a long time, he would’ve savored it more. He never would’ve left with Donna and Kyle.

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

When Jason woke up, Tim wasn’t lying next to him.

It was unusual. He’s been sleeping without Tim for almost every day of his life and now that Tim wasn’t right there next to him when he woke up, Jason froze for a second. It’s only been a few months since they both finally confessed and got together but during that time, they’ve grown even closer to each other. Jason wouldn’t have believed it was possible.

Everything between them was actually still the same, they still lived together, worked together as Robin and Red Hood on cases or teamed up, watched movies and shows in their small living room, and cooked together. Except that it wasn’t exactly the same because there were a few differences here and there.

And it was perfect. The most perfect months of his life, if you’d ignore all the other shit that was going on in Gotham and just in the world in general. Perfect because he got to wake up basically with a sleeping Tim almost every day (except for the time he had been off with a certain Amazonian and a Green Lantern). Perfect because now when Tim was overworking himself and refused to go to bed, Jason could just pick him up and tug him into his bed and refuse to let him get out by cuddling his boyfriend and kissing him softly.

Whenever Jason would wake up and saw Tim lying right next to him, his limbs all over Jason’s body, he’d smile. Even better when Tim was wearing almost nothing or just one of Jason’s shirts which were too big on him. And when Tim rolled around in his sleep, the shirt moving and sliding off his shoulder, exposing the pale skin of his neck and shoulder which Jason had marked up… He’d just want to wake his little bird up and kiss him all over again.

Most of the times, Jason would get up earlier because if Tim didn’t have to be anywhere, he slept for a _very_ long time. Which was why it was a surprise to Jason when Tim wasn’t right next to him.

"Tim?" There was no answer so he got up and shuffled to the bathroom, rubbing his eyes while doing so. After he washed his face and brushed his teeth, Jason stared at the mirror. He should probably shave. Ever since… since Bruce died, he had become lazier with shaving.

The door to their apartment opened and Jason walked out of the bathroom. Tim was standing there with anger written all over his face.

"Hey," Jason greeted him. "What got your panties in a twist?" He leaned against the doorframe.

"I hate him."

"You got to be specific," Jason said. "And do you want me to kill him for you, babe? I mean, I don’t know who it’s about yet, but I’ll do it."

Tim shook his head. "Damian. I hate him." Tim shrugged off his jacket and threw it on the couch. Jason would’ve made a comment about it but he could clearly see how upset his boyfriend was. "And Dick."

"Dick? What does Dick got to do with this now?"

Tim breathed in and met Jason’s eyes. "He made Damian Robin."

"He— _what_? That demon brat?!"

Tim nodded and made his way across the living room to the door Jason was standing at. He put his arms around Jason’s waist and buried his face in Jason’s chest. "They took Robin away from me."

Jason hugged him back and stroked with his hand over Tim’s back. "No, they didn’t. They can’t do that. You’re Robin and I don’t care who the _fuck_ they think they are but they can’t just take it away from you!"

Tim let out a scream into Jason’s chest and Jason let him. "Those are your brothers."

Jason scoffed. "You’re family too, babybird. Gives them no right. Especially not Dick."

"He can. He’s Batman. And Damian’s Bruce’ son."

Why would anyone rather want _Damian_ as their sidekick than Tim?

"Tim, listen to me." Jason pushed Tim gently away so he could look in his face.

"I’m listening."

Jason braced himself, trying to come up with a great speech to cheer Tim up, to tell him that he was better than all of this. "I don’t know what to say, actually," he admitted.

Tim laughed. "I love you, dork."

"I know." Jason grinned. "Anyway… I’m going to kick their asses."

"I can do that on my own."

"I know but I gotta do _something._ I hate seeing you like this." Despite them being together, Tim wasn’t exactly the happiest person in the world. He was when he was with Jason and they shared their little intimate moments but Jason knew he had so much going on. In just a short time he lost his parents, two of his best friends, his first love, and now his mentor. Jason lost Bruce too but… it was different. Even if Tim wasn’t Bruce’ legal son, Jason knew they were on way better terms than he and Bruce had been in years.

"Can you make me pancakes?"

Jason smiled. "I can do that."

 

* * *

 

 

Tim hadn’t left his room for three hours and Jason was worried. He had said he wanted some time for himself and shut himself off but now three hours passed and there was still no sign of him. Jason was going to kill Dick.

A loud crash came from Tim’s room and Jason immediately ran over and opened the door to find his boyfriend sitting on the floor and a rack of CDs (yes, he still owned CDs) next to him that had fallen down. All the CDs slipped out and their were cases cracked. Jason looked to the mirror on the wall that also fell down and its glas was everywhere.

"Jay," Tim cried out. He had tears in his eyes, his hair that was way too long now fell into his face.

"Babybird," Jason murmured and fell to his knees. He hugged his boyfriend to his chest and pulled him into his lap.

"Why does everyone around me die?" Tim cried, clutching onto Jason’s shirt. "Is it me?"

"No. Babybird, of course not." It broke his heart to see him like this. He took Tim’s hand to check if he cut himself from the broken glasses. He seemed to be okay and Jason breathed out in relief.

"You’re probably going to die soon too," Tim said. He buried his face in the crook of Jason’s neck.

"I’m not," Jason said.

"You can’t know."

"I won’t leave you, okay? And this isn’t your fault. None of this is your fault. You’re not cursed or something." Jason pulled back to look in Tim’s eyes. There were red and there were tears flowing down his cheeks. Tim wiped one side of them with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Everyone around me dies and I’m not stable enough to be Robin," Tim said.

"Fuck Dick," Jason said. He kissed the corner of Tim’s eyes. It was salty due to the tears. "Fuck Dick and fuck Damian. Fuck them all."

"Why aren’t _you_ Batman?" Tim asked.

Jason laughed. "Me? _Batman_?"

"You’re also his son," Tim said.

"Why aren’t you Batman then?"

"I don’t want to be. I never wanted to be Batman. I’m pretty sure Dick doesn’t want it either but _you_ …"

Jason shook his head. "I don’t— I’m not. Maybe when I was a little delusional child and first started out as Robin I thought that maybe one day… but no. I can’t be Batman. At least, not the kind of Batman he was and wanted to see. You know, when I was with Donna and Kyle… I met a Batman from another world. That guy was… _me._ And he was pretty good." Jason’s mind wandered off to the Batman of Earth-15. "I don’t know what the difference between their universe and ours was and how he became Batman. Maybe Joker never happened… He was better than me." He didn’t like to admit it but it was true, the Batman Jason had managed to kick him down.

Tim nodded slowly. "When I was with the Teen Titans I met with my alternate Future Self too, he was Batman. Just like Kon and Cassie were Superman and Wonder Woman. It didn’t feel right. I hated it— I don’t want to be Batman. But did you… do you want to be like him?" he asked.

Jason shook his head. "No, he wasn’t dating you as far as I know. Can’t be a perfect world if I wouldn’t be with you."

Tim rolled his eyes but he was smiling. "I could’ve been your Robin," he said. Jason smiled.

"That might be the only reason I’d even consider being Batman." He came closer to Tim and whispered with a deep voice, " _be my Robin_."

Tim inhaled sharply.

"Forget it. People would also think it’s creepy as hell when Batman starts making out with Robin."

Tim shuddered.

* * *

 

 

How did they end up like this?

When Jason first met Dick as Nightwing it had been in the Batcave when he wore a badly made suit of Robin and demanded Bruce to save Tim. Dick became like a big brother to him, frankly, a big brother that wasn’t around often due to being Nightwing in Blüdhaven, hanging out with the Titans, or Outsiders, or whatever other teams he was in.

Who would’ve thought back then that Dick would be Batman and Jason Red Hood?

He met Dick on a rainy night out on a rooftop.

"Jason," Dick said.

Jason held up his hand. "No names on the field, remember?"

Dick smiled. It was made him different from Bruce, what made people suspicious about this Batman. Dick _smiled_. "You’re right. He always taught us that but we never exactly followed the rule anyway, right?"

Jason looked at Dick. He could immediately tell this wasn’t Bruce. Dick had a smaller frame and was shorter as well. The one who came closest to Bruce’ body type was probably Jason but he wasn’t interested. "Where’s your little sidekick?"

Dick’s smile dropped. "Jason…"

"Do you know what you did?" Jason snarled at him. "You took Robin away from him! After he lost so much!" He stomped towards Dick, his heavy steps making the rain splatter of the ground. "You… do you even _care_?"

"Of course, I do! He’s my brother!" Dick shouted. Tim was part of the family, legally or not. "But I had to do what I thought was right. I’m sorry but…"

"What? Being Batman makes you behave like an asshole now? Geez, all these years it hadn’t been _Bruce’_ fault I guess."

"Believe me, I didn’t want to hurt Tim. Damian— he needs Robin."

"Then make him be something else, the fuck do I know? Squire or something. Worked for the British Batman. But Robin? He… he was good at it. Better than I ever was. Better than _you_ were. You and I, we chose to put the mantle away. But he— you took that choice away from him!" Jason wanted to punch Dick. Him wearing that stupid Batman suit didn’t exactly make it any better.

"Jason, he thinks Bruce is still alive! I think he needs a break. From being Robin. Or just all this in general—"

"You and I both know this won’t stop him. Nothing can ever stop him from going out and fighting criminals. And fuck off, I don’t want to see you _or_ the demon brat in our part of town." Jason jumped off the building.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tim 🤝 Jason  
> meeting their other self who is Batman and starts kicking their ass
> 
> also i love Earth15 Jay


	27. Love & Evil

After he came back from patrol, Tim hopped into the shower and took a hot shower. He won’t miss the Robin suit, he tried to tell himself. He had been completely soaked, the suit really was impractical when it came to rain. Stupid Damian who came up with adding a hoodie to the cape while in all these years Tim had to use his cape to shield himself.

He closed his eyes and showered for a long time, just letting the drops hit his face and probably giving Jason a heart attack once he’ll see their water bill. After he cleaned himself up and washed his hair, he walked out of the shower, dried himself with a huge towel and put on clean clothes. He decided to take one of Jason’s sweaters. He knew Jason didn’t mind it when Tim wore his clothes and actually liked it (until he didn’t have any clothes because Tim always forgot to do the laundry) but Tim didn’t do it too often. But ever since Bruce died, Tim wore Jason’s clothes more often. It gave him a sense of security, even if it sounded stupid.

Jason still wasn’t back from patrol so Tim decided to raid their fridge. He sat down on the ground, his wet hair still dripping onto the floor but Tim didn’t care. He took out some of their leftovers and sat it in silence until Jason walked in.

"Do you know that you can close the fridge? You don’t need to leave it open," Jason said.

Tim turned around to his boyfriend while kicking the door to the fridge shut with his foot. Jason was less soaked as Tim, mostly because he had a helmet. Still, his clothes were heavy from the rain and he was ruining the entire floor.

"Heavy rain tonight, huh?" Tim asked. Jason took off his boots and Tim thought about what would be so bad if they hired someone to clean their place. Every time Tim suggested it, Jason called him spoiled.

"I met Dick," Jason said and walked across the kitchen.

Tim froze and put down the food and followed his boyfriend. "What did you talk about?"

Jason took off his pants and jacket and threw them into the washing machine. He was now completely stripped to his underwear. "A lot. I was mostly just angry at him."

"Jason…"

"He told me you think Bruce is alive."

Tim bit down on his lower lip. "Yeah."

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"Because you’d think I’m crazy. Dick did. He… the look he gave me. It was _pity."_ He remembered exactly how Dick looked at him when Tim suggested it. Not even Dick, Alfred as well. Tim couldn’t handle Jason not believing him either. Everyone, but not Jason.

Jason shook his head. "I’m not Dick."

"So you believe me?"

Jason hesitated. Tim held his breath. "Not really," Jason admitted quietly. "But I know you. You’re smart and logical. There has to be a reason for why you think that is. And even if not… I love you. I’d help you find him." He closed the distance between their bodies and cupped Tim’s face. Jason’s body was cold and Tim placed his hands on his boyfriend’s hips.

"You would?"

"Of course. All you need is to ask me."

Tim swallowed hard. "I thought you hated Bruce."

"I do. Fuck, I really do. But he’s… my father. I— I just never thought he’d die, you know? He and I, we’re complicated. We’ve tried many times to get back on good terms. I don’t know. But if there’s a chance he’s still alive, of course, I’ll take it. I have to take it. I still have so many things I want to tell him. I can’t let it end like this."

Tim smiled widely. "Really?"

"As I said, all you have to do is ask me."

Tim licked his lips. "Jason, will you help me get Bruce back?"

Jason’s lips curved into a smirk. "Do I want to look for my stupid dead dad I also lowkey miss with my super gorgeous boyfriend? Hell yeah."

Tim laughed. "Thank you." He went on his tiptoes to press a kiss against Jason’s lips. It was supposed to be a quick one, just merely a brush against Jason’s lips, but Jason held him close to kissed him back hard. Even after all these times they’ve kissed each other, Tim would never get tired of it and the feeling that came with kissing Jason.

He wasn’t sure how long they were standing there, just making out, when he finally pulled back. "I can’t be Robin anymore. I need a new title," Tim said.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when we always talked about becoming a superhero duo?" Tim asked. He remembered when they talked about it ever since they were children. When Jason first became Robin. And then when Jason left and asked Tim to come with him and be a superhero with him. All these times, Tim had always been the one to say no, because he never felt ready for it. But it had always been them, right? Jason and Tim against the rest of the world.

"Do you mean…"

"My Robin days are over," Tim said. "Let’s… let’s do this."

Jason smiled and kissed him again.

 

* * *

 

After they showered, they went back to Jason’s room. It was more their shared room, since they got together they’ve been sleeping in Jason’s bed. Tim’s bedroom was for whenever Tim was working on something and couldn’t sleep but also didn’t want to wake Jason up.

"So…" Jason put a notebook on Tim’s lap. "It’s very old and I’m not… like a super skilled artist but."

"Jason, I know that already." Tim opened the book. "Before you became Red Hood you told me you’ve thought about a new identity. I’ve always wondered what others there were."

"Mostly just Red Hood in different designs. They were all pretty embarrassing actually. "

Tim rolled his eyes and turned the page. "[This](http://ultimatebatmancomicswebsite.weebly.com/uploads/8/8/8/1/8881913/2345846.jpg?337)… this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life." He laughed and Jason pouted. "Sorry, Jay. The suit itself isn’t bad but…" He pressed two fingers against his temples.

"It was my first Red Hood design, okay? Cut me some slack."

"You mean Condom-Man. Or Dildo-Man."

Out of all designs, it was the one that looked most like a typical superhero suit. White bodysuit in skin-tight spandex, a black hoodie, black boots. The bad thing about it was just that the first design of the Red Hood helmet looked horrible. "Ugh, I don’t even know why I’m helping you out."

Tim smiled. "Because you love me."

"Yeah, be grateful, fucker."

Tim kissed his cheek and turned to the next page. "I like [this](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sdx2hixmCFs/maxresdefault.jpg) one!"

"Me too actually." Much like the first one, it was also mostly white with black and red highlights. It was closer to the suit Jason wore now, a leather jacket with a red bat in the middle. A red hoodie as well and red helmet.

"I’d probably look stupid in it," Tim said.

"I don’t know. I think you’d look hot. Though, you’d have to wear other pants. I like seeing your ass."

Tim punched him lightly but he was grinning when he turned to the next page. He whistled. "[Arkham Knight](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/64/17/e9/6417e9229d0ebc9502ecf44e9ed5ddfa.jpg)?"

"Looks badass, doesn’t it?"

"Yeah, but looks like real heavy armor. I rely on speed and agility," Tim said. He turned the page. "This looks a lot like Batman."

"No, it doesn’t."

"Yeah, you’re right the weird red lenses make it weird."

"Really? I thought the weirdest thing about it was the name. Wingman. I don’t know what went through my mind. I was sixteen," Jason said and Tim laughed.

"[Wingman](https://comicnewbies.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/wingman-red-hood-and-the-outlaws-vol-2-28.jpg). Dick would’ve been happy you took that name."

Jason shrugged. Tim turned the page again. [This](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7d/Red_Robin_Todd.jpg/170px-Red_Robin_Todd.jpg) time, it was a completely different suit from the other ones. Closer to the classic superhero suit, a black cowl but without the typical Bat-ears.

"Red Robin," Tim mouthed. "It’s the suit you wore when you fought alongside with Bruce." With Donna and Kyle.

"You like it?"

Tim nodded. Jason liked it too actually. "It’s… it’s nice."

"And it’s really sexy once you take off the cowl and the cape."

Tim glared at him and Jason just wiggled with his eyebrows. He turned the page to see more Red Hood designs.

"Yeah, from here on it’s just Red Hood. I was pretty set on that alias." There were several different designs, including the one he ended up with in the end. Tim pointed on one.

"I like this one. Why didn’t you choose that one?"

Jason raised his eyebrows. It was a Red Hood [design](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/dcverse/images/3/3b/Jason_Todd_Rebirth_4.png/revision/latest?cb=20190201161904) without the red helmet. Instead, there were a domino mask and a mouth mask. His shirt was sleeveless as well and he had picked a short-sleeved jacket with a hoodie. "You do?"

"Yeah. It’s… really hot," Tim said. He tried to imagine Jason wearing it and several thoughts went through his head. It was a good thing Jason didn’t choose it, he’d probably fall over Jason the whole time.

Jason took the book in his hands. "Huh. I thought it was too Bane-like. Maybe I should change my outfit."

"No, it’s not really practical. Your arms are exposed!"

"Isn’t that what you think is hot?"

Tim put his chin on Jason’s shoulder and squeezed Jason’s biceps. "I can see more of you exposed every day," he said. Jason grinned and put the book down.

"Yeah? Want to see it right now?"

Tim kissed him deeply but before Jason could ask for more, he pulled away. "I think I want to be Red Robin."

"What? I thought you just wanted to draw some inspiration!"

"Nope. I’ve decided. I’ll be your Robin." He winked. "I think I like the idea of wearing a uniform you once wore. And… Red Hood and Red Robin. Don’t you think that sounds nice? Has a nice ring to it."

It did. Jason smiled and kissed him. "Yeah, you certainly will be Red Riding Hood."

"Jay, I absolutely hate you!" Tim laughed.

 

* * *

 

 

Jason lifted Tim’s cape and touched the fabric.

"Nice, right?" Tim asked with a smile on his lips.

Jason nodded and Tim wondered if he was smiling underneath his helmet. Tim wasn’t much of a fan of the red helmet, mostly because he couldn’t see Jason’s face when he wore it. He liked to see Jason’s expressions during battle. The dangerous sharp grin on his face when he was fighting villains almost made Tim’s heart leap. And even if Tim never was the one to initiate it, he liked it when Jason sometimes just swooped Tim in, curled his arm around Tim’s waist and pulled him closer to kiss him, even if just for a little while.

"You know what it’s made of?"

"Don’t," Jason warned him.

"Boyfriend material."

"I hate you," Jason said and dropped the cape. Tim laughed and stepped towards Jason, went on his tip-toes and placed a kiss on Jason’s helmet where his mouth would be. He patted against the cold material and grinned.

"Okay, first night out," Jason said. "How do you feel?"

Tim stretched his arm out, twirled his staff around a few times.

"Great," he said. It wasn’t a lie. Of course, he still was upset over not being Robin anymore. Part of him still felt betrayed and it didn’t help to see Damian running around the streets as Robin. But it still felt great. Most likely because Jason was at his side.

"You look great too," Jason said.

Tim licked his lips. "32th Church Street North," Tim said, quoting from the line he was listening to from his comms. "Let’s see who gets there fast!"

"Hey!" Jason shouted after him when Tim leaped off the building. He only shot his grappling gun when he was halfway on the ground, letting out a scream of joy as he flew through the sky, cold wind hitting his face. For a short time, Tim felt invincible. Like he could take on anything, including finding Bruce and bringing him back to where he belonged. To his family.

Of course, Tim arrived first but there really wasn’t much he had to do anymore. Someone else arrived at the scene first.

"Who are you?" Tim asked.

The blond girl turned around. "Hey! Cool new outfit," she said and spread her arms. "What do you think about mine?"

Blonde hair, purple— no, _eggplant_ — suit, a yellow bat crest on her chest, a cowl with little bat ears on top. It could only be Stephanie. "Steph?" Tim asked, surprised.

"It’s Batgirl now," she corrected. "And you…?"

"Red Robin."

"Babybird, don’t ever just run off like that again!" Jason huffed and landed right next to them. "Huh. New Batgirl?"

"It’s Steph," Tim said.

Jason looked up and down at her and Stephanie crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Stop calling out my name! You want every criminal in Gotham to know who I am? It’s _Batgirl_."

"Spoiler, Robin, Batgirl. You’re really going through them all. What’s next?" Jason asked and cocked his head. "Nightwing? Batman?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I’d like to chit-chat more with you but tonight’s my great debut, so I have to kick ass, take some names, you know the deal."

"Tonight is _my_ debut!" Tim said.

Stephanie stuck out her tongue. "Too bad. I think every Gotham resident can count one and two together and will know you’re the old Robin."

"How so?" Tim asked.

"Duh, you and Hood aren’t exactly sly when it comes to PDA," Stephanie said.

Tim blushed. "That’s not true!"

Jason laughed. "It kinda is true."

"They’ll know you’re Red Robin now or they just think Hood is cheating on you. Either way, don’t care. I gotta go." She saluted.

Tim shook his head. "Be careful not to run into the new Robin." It had always been Robin and Batgirl. Jason and Dick with Barbara, Tim with Cass, and now Stephanie was Damian’s Batgirl. Tim kind of felt bad for Stephanie.

Stephanie made a face. "Don’t need to tell me, I’m trying the best to avoid the brat." Tim laughed and Stephanie left the scene. Tim turned to Jason.

"She’s really out here stealing my spotlight," Tim said.

Jason looked after Stephanie, disappearing into the night. "Do you really care?" he asked.

"No," Tim admitted and smiled. "I just care about Bruce."

"Wow."

Tim nudged his boyfriend with his elbow. "And I care about finally being a duo with you."

"The Red Riding Hood Duo," Jason agreed.

"If you say this one more time, you’re sleeping on the couch."

"Duh, I don’t _fit_ on the couch. You’re the one sleeping on the couch."

Tim laughed.

His life right now was far from ideal. He had nightmares often about all the people that he failed to save in his life but he had hope. It was because he knew every time he had a nightmare, Jason would be there to wake him up and whisper into his ear, and hold him close. Even when it wasn’t a nightmare and it was, in fact, the real life, he knew Jason would be there as well. And that’s why life was still, despite everything going on, kind of okay.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me crying over DC confirming rebirth Tim will get a new alias which will ruin all the Red Riding Hood jokes, make Tim and Jay not be the reds of the family anymore, and have Tim again have Jasons old title: a nightmare. literally a nightmare
> 
> All the designs are just shit Jason wore over the years, I included links


	28. The Carol

The thing is, even though Jason had a lot of time now to deal with Bruce’ death, he didn’t. Even after Bruce’ funeral, after he spent months with Tim finding his father, and even when they succeeded and Bruce was back among them, he still didn’t know what to do. There was Tim, who hugged Bruce, jumping towards him, arms around Bruce’ mid, and Jason just stood there and watched. And Bruce looked over to him and their eyes met and Jason knew Bruce understood.

He always did. Jason needed time and distance from Bruce but how much? Didn’t stories usually go with you putting down your quarrels when your father died? Shouldn’t Jason be so relieved to have Bruce back that all their fights and the strained feelings between them were unimportant because all that mattered was that his father was alive and breathing and here, with them?

Real life was more complicated than that. It always was.

At least with Tim, nothing was complicated. Not anymore, not since the day Tim finally got the courage to kiss Jason. Everything before it, the turmoil in Jason’s chest every time he looked at Tim when he was with Stephanie, the clone, the half goddess, or just anyone else, or even when he was just by himself and not right here with Jason, wasn’t there anymore. They weren’t complicated, and Jason loved it. Because finally, he had something _simple._

Maybe some people might think that’s not a good thing, but for Jason it was.

It was simple: Jason loved Tim, Tim loved Jason. Easy. Of course, things around them weren’t simple and it wasn’t like they never fought, how could they not when they were both high on adrenaline, guns going off around them, fighting criminals and supernatural creatures, metas and aliens, going after cases and leads where their opinions crash? Their love was simple, but their life sure wasn’t. And that was okay.

Tim woke up next to Jason, rubbing his eyes before they opened and rested on Jason.

"Morning," Jason whispered, brushing hair out of Tim’s face. He had cut it the last time for Tim but it grew back already, falling into his boyfriend’s face.

"Did you watch me in my sleep like a creep?" Tim asked and smiled, holding Jason’s hand against his cheek.

"You do that too, weirdo," Jason replied and scooted closer.

Tim hummed. "Is it snowing?"

"Actually yes. I hope it snows so much that the criminals don’t even wanna go out tonight."

"I was hoping it would. We could build a snowman."

Jason snorted. He didn’t even remember the last time they build a snowman together. Probably when they were children, before Jason became Red Hood. Distant memories of them laughing and having snowball fights while Alfred and Bruce watched them, sometimes Dick joined them as well.

"You sure you want to build one?" Jason asked.

"We could team up. Dick and Damian against you and me," Tim suggested. "Who builds the better snowman gets a prize."

Jason swallowed hard. "Do you mean it?"

"What?" Tim blinked.

"Dick and Damian…" Did Tim just want to act like everything was okay? He knew Tim forgave Dick because Tim was a saint and he always loved Dick like an older brother but _Damian._ Jason didn’t know if he could ever forgive the demon brat for anything he did to Tim.

"Yes," Tim said. "I still hate him though. That’s why we need to win the contest."

"What about Cass?"

"Please, Cass is good at everything but I’m sure she sucks at this one thing. I’ve seen her draw the other day. I thought it was a cat but it was supposed to be a monkey," Tim said. Jason laughed as his hand trailed down the side of Tim’s body.

"Are you okay?" Tim asked.

"What do you mean?"

"It’s the first Christmas."

The first Christmas after Bruce came back, not too long ago actually. But that probably wasn’t even what Tim meant. It was the first Christmas Jason spent at the Manor with the rest of the family since he was sixteen. Every year since then, he had found another excuse not to attend. Sometimes, he really was on a mission and couldn’t go away, other times, he went into missions far away on purpose.

"Yeah," Jason breathed out. "I don’t know."

"We don’t need to do it," Tim said. "We could also just spend Christmas together. The two of us. Just you, and me, hot chocolate, cooking together and watching a bunch of Christmas movies we later would pretend to care about but the reality would be that we both just want to fuck on the couch."

Jason gasped at Tim’s words. "Timothy Jackson Drake!"

Tim looked at him with an innocent smile. "Yes?"

"You’re evil," Jason said and pinched his boyfriend’s nose. "And no. Don’t say that, I know you want to be here."

Tim swallowed. "You don’t need to do it just because I want to."

"I do," Jason said. "They’re _our_ family." And for the first time, they were actually all together. And he meant it. This was his family, even with Bruce and Damian included. And it was their first Christmas as a couple as well.

"Okay," Tim whispered.

"We’re still going to do the last part you mentioned though," Jason whispered against Tim’s ear and pressed a kiss on Tim’s shoulder, as the younger male erupted in giggles.

"We should get up," Jason decided. "Nobody but me helps Alfred around the house." He sat up and stretched his body.

Tim grunted and pressed his face in the pillow.

"Come on," Jason said and kicked his boyfriend with his feet softly. "You’re awake anyway."

"I could go back to sleep," Tim murmured.

"No, you’re not, lazy ass."

"You like my ass." Tim even raised his ass and wiggled it underneath the heavy blanket. Jason rolled his eyes.

"I’ll _kick_ your ass." He got up from the bed and walked to the other side to haul Tim off it. He didn’t even protest when Jason carried him out and placed him on the floor.

"Dick’s going to make us wear ugly Christmas sweaters again," Tim complained.

"And watch the Grinch," Jason added. He had still watched the movie every Christmas Eve, even when he wasn’t at the Manor. It was tradition after all.

 

* * *

 

Jason was covered in dough from the cookies he was baking when he headed out of the kitchen to clean himself up, when Damian ran into him, knocking them both down. For someone of such small stature, the boy sure was a force to be reckoned with.

Damian huffed when he saw that it was Jason he ran into.

"Watch where you’re going," Jason snarled at him.

Damian’s eyes narrowed; he had the same eyes as Bruce, a deep dark blue. "Watch _your_ steps, Todd."

"Why the fuck are you running around the Manor anyway?" Jason got up and sighed when he saw that some of the dough that stuck to himself was on the floor. To his amusement, some even got on Damian’s black turtleneck (he came after Bruce in the fashion department).

"Damian!" Dick shouted.

Damian’s eyes went wide with alarm and he got up quickly. Jason counted one and one together and grabbed Damian’s arm, and shoved him into the bathroom he was headed to. Inside, Jason closed the door and locked it. A knock came against the door.

"Damian?" Dick asked.

"No, just me," Jason shouted back.

"Oh. Have you seen him?"

"No, fuck off, I’m trying to take a shit."

Dick left with those words and Jason turned to Damian. "The fuck was that about?" he asked. There was a scowl on Damian’s face but there always was. If he kept going like this, he’ll get wrinkles before he even turned twenty.

"Your choice of words is disgusting, Todd," Damian said. "And Richard is trying to put me into one of those appalling sweaters you all wear." Jason noticed how Dick was the only one Damian called by his first name, even if not by 'Dick' but by 'Richard'.

Jason laughed. "You ran away because you didn’t want to wear your Christmas sweater?"

"They’re an abomination." Damian shook his head. "Why did you help me? I didn’t need your assistance."

"Why indeed." Jason looked down at Damian. He still hated him. Every time he saw him, the image of Tim bleeding in the Batcave came back to his mind. Jason clenched his jaw. "You owe me now."

"No," Damian said. "I am not indebted to someone like you."

"Yes, you are. You owe me."

"No."

"Dick!" Jason shouted loudly.

"Fine! What is it that you want?" Damian asked him.

Jason pressed his lips together. "You’ll apologize to Tim," he said. "Get on your knees maybe."

Damian inhaled sharply and clenched his tiny tiny fists. It was funny. He was even smaller than Tim was when he first started out as Robin. Frankly, Damian was also younger but _still_.

"Forget it, Todd. I’d rather put on one of those… _Christmas sweaters._ " He spat the word out like those were the worst thing in the world.

"Fine, have it your way." Jason opened the door and in front of it was Cass. She was already wearing her sweater, way too big on her but it was cute how her hands disappeared in the sleeves. Jason remembered wearing it to Christmas once.

"Hi." Their sister smiled at him and Damian’s eyes went wide again when he spotted Dick coming up to them as well.

"I’ll hold his legs," Jason said and picked Damian up. The younger boy was struggling with his arms, trying to kick and hit Jason as best as he could but Cass got a good grip on his arms and winked at Jason. Jason replied to her with a wide smile.

Dick gasped audibly. "Don’t be so harsh on him!"

"Harsh? He’s the one kicking me!" Jason complained. "Now get his sweater on!"

Dick hesitated before he grabbed the turtleneck sweater Damian was wearing right now and yanked it over his head.

"Richard! Do not do this! I will remember this! Todd, Cain, unhand me at once!"

"Nope, not happening," Jason said.

Cass just laughed in response while she helped Dick get the sweater over his head. He looked funny, so small and grumpy, with a glare in his eyes that told them that once he was out of Jason’s grip he’d kill them all. His sweater was actually one that belonged to Tim once, they all handed down the sweaters. It was probably not a good idea to tell Damian that the sweater he was wearing now used to belong to his 'rival'. When Jason set Damian down, the boy kicked him so hard against his thighs, that Jason let out a loud 'oof'. Tim descended the stairs in this very moment, watching as Dick gasped loudly.

"What’s going on here?" Tim asked.

Damian looked up at Tim. "Next time, I’ll hit your _beloved_ in a higher place and then he will never be able to have spouses anymore," he spat out before he ran away.

They all stared after Damian before Dick just shrugged and followed Damian. "He knows I can’t have children with you anyway, right?" Tim asked.

Cass shrugged. "He’s ten."

"Please, ten-years-old know all about sex ed. At least _I_ didn’t need the talk when I was ten," Jason said.

"I thought he was eleven," Tim said. The three of them looked at each other, neither of them knowing how old their 'brother' actually was.

"Well, he’s a pain in the ass, that’s what he is," Jason concluded and waved his hand. Tim smiled at him. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Are the cookies finished?" Cass asked.

Jason shook his head. "Takes a while. And no, Cass, you can’t have them yet. Don’t even think about stealing a few." The girl pouted and Jason put a hand on her shoulder. "You can help us decorate them though. Put some frosting on."

She didn’t seem to be really keen on helping Jason and Alfred in the kitchen. Instead, she turned to Tim.

"We can build a snowman if you want," he suggested. Cass’ face immediately lit up and she nodded hard.

"I’ll grab my jacket!" she said and left them alone. Tim walked over to Jason and grinned.

"You really should clean up," his boyfriend said and pressed a kiss against Jason’s lips.

"That was the plan before the demon knocked into me," Jason said and pulled him closer for another, much deeper kiss. "And now go build the best snowman in the world."

 

* * *

 

Jason knocked against Bruce’ office and walked inside without waiting for him to call him in.

"Jason," Bruce said.

"You work fast," Jason replied. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and watched the man. He was standing in front of a dresser on which all the Christmas pictures they always shot each year were framed next to each other, sorted by year.

In the first one, it was just him, Dick, Alfred, and Ace. It was followed by a few other ones, one with Babs as well, followed by the first one with Jason and Tim. He remembered it as the best Christmas Jason ever had in his life. His family before didn’t celebrate Christmas, or if they ever did, Jason couldn’t remember because he had been too young. He mostly ran around on the streets in the cold and went to the shelters that offered free food during Christmas.

A lot of the pictures were without Jason because he refused to be here. And this one, this was the first with Damian in it. It was also the one with the most people, with Alfred, Bruce, Dick, Barbara, Jason, Stephanie, Tim, and Damian.

"You should get a new dog," Jason suggested.

Bruce raised his eyebrows.

"What? Damian’s a whole demon but he can’t be _that_ evil and mistreat a dog. I think it would do the boy well," Jason said.

A smile crept on Bruce’ lips. "Maybe you’re right."

"Get him a chihuahua. Fits his temper," Jason joked. He pictured Damian going on a walk with a tiny feral dog beside him, both of them barking at everyone they crossed. He’d probably give it some ridiculous name as well.

Bruce turned to him and Jason swallowed hard when their eyes met. "This is the first time in years you’re here for Christmas," Bruce said. "I am very happy. Thank you."

Jason tensed. He didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t that he had a lot of words in his mind and he just didn’t know how to get them out, or that his mind was suddenly blank of all thoughts. He just, in general, didn’t know what to say to Bruce.

"I’m glad too," he said after a while. "I… I even got you a present."

Bruce's eyebrows went up slightly. "I’ll look forward to it."

"No opening until tomorrow though," Jason said. "And now let’s get going. We need to watch The Grinch."

Bruce frowned. "Do we really?"

Jason grinned. "Yes, but I think this year, it’s Damian who’s the Grinch."

 

 

 


	29. Hi High

**ONE YEAR LATER**

 

"Don’t look like that," Kon said. "It’s your birthday. You’re supposed to be, I don’t know. Happy."

"I am," Tim said. His friend raised his eyebrows at him and Tim sighed. "I am happy." He doesn’t think he’s ever been happier. Over a year ago, on his eighteenth birthday, he had been miserable. And now he was nineteen, and he had his family and friends back. Bruce was back, Stephanie, Kon, and Bart were back. His father was still dead but Dana seemed to be doing better the last time Tim visited her. And he had Jason. The last time they celebrated his birthday, his eighteenth, it had been while they were trying to get Bruce back from being stuck in time and they didn’t really have the chance to celebrate it.

It was still the first time they were together as a couple on Tim’s birthday. But now, everyone was here and he just had to sit through the Teen Titans throwing him a party for his birthday, and now he was returning to Gotham and Tim wasn’t really looking forward to it. Dick had organized a surprise party for Tim but he knew that everyone knew that he already knew about it. Tim wasn’t exactly into getting all the attention. He never knew what to do, it was awkward as hell when you sat there with a giant birthday cake and a bunch of superheroes sang to you.

"Do you want to stay?" Tim asked Kon. "I don’t think they’ll mind if you join them."

Kon laughed. "Right. I’m pretty sure Bruce still holds a grudge against me."

"Tim, you and Cass were years ago," Tim said. "Besides, you went on like two dates or something."

"And he still was an ass about it. I can hold a grudge too!" Kon shouted. Tim laughed. "And seriously, even if Jason says he’s nothing like Bruce at all, he has the same exact look on his face when he sees me."

"He doesn’t."

"He does," Kon said. "It’s not that bad anymore. God, remember when I met him for the first time? I thought he wanted to kill me." Tim could feel the Kryptonian shudder by the thought of it.

"Kon, you’re Kryptonian," Tim reminded him.

"Doesn’t mean I’m invincible. Especially when the other party is a jealous Red Hood. I’m letting you down somewhere else. I don’t wanna see your boyfriend see me carrying you bridal style," Kon said.

"You’re exaggerating," Tim said.

Kon shrugged. "Maybe. I don’t wanna risk it. I already got on bad terms with one Bat, don’t wanna go for another one."

Tim could see Gotham from afar underneath them.

"Where should I let you down?" Kon asked.

"Just put me on some building, I’ll get down myself," Tim assured him. His friend put him down on top of the Wayne Tower and Tim raised his eyebrows.

"What?" Kon replied with an innocent smile.

"Really? The _Wayne_ Tower? Thanks for flying me back."

"No problem. Say hello to the rest from me. No, actually, don’t do that. Enjoy the rest of your birthday."

They hugged before Kon flew away into the sky. Tim watched him disappear and smiled. It had been about a year since Kon and Bart came back but he still was glad every day of his life that they were. And yes, he had to admit he had missed his team as well, the Teen Titans. He thought about Damian joining them one day and sighed. He couldn’t even imagine the kind of disaster that would be.

Dick had dragged him to the team once when he was Batman, Tim hadn’t been there but he heard of it from Cassie. She had rolled her eyes and told him what a pain in the ass Damian had been but he oddly found a friend in Rose. As much as a brat the current Robin was, Tim thought he could really use more friends, apart from Rose and Colin. Maybe it’ll tame him.

* * *

 

 

Tim stripped off his Red Robin suit and walked into the shower.

The only good thing about the birthday party Dick threw him was that at least he didn’t have to hide behind a mask there. Of course, a bunch of people already knew his identity at the Teen Titans, but there were even more who didn’t with all those new young superheroes joining and leaving the team. Cassie made a great leader though, better than he could ever be maybe.

He wasn’t angry about it. He was glad to be part of the Teen Titans, even if he didn’t live at the Tower and only joined on their missions sometimes. He had his home here in Gotham. In his apartment with Jason that they chose together. It felt like a lifetime ago, back then Tim had thought it might be impossible to live together with Jason due to his huge crush on him. But everything turned out all right, didn’t it?

The door to the bathroom opened and Tim halted.

"Jay?" He peaked out of the curtain to see Jason standing at the door, leaning against its frame with his arms crossed.

"You’re back and didn’t even give me a call," Jason said. "I’m hurt, babybird."

"Stay mad about it." Tim poked out his tongue and the smile on Jason’s lips widened. "Where were you?"

"I was helping the others. You know, for your not so secret Surprise Party. And I was supposed to pick you up and drive you to the Manor. By the way, don’t shower too long," Jason said.

"You don’t need to always tell me."

"I do because you shower for almost half an hour all the time. Nobody needs to shower that long!" Jason exclaimed.

"Stop, I like reading the back of the shampoo bottles and having imaginary discussions," Tim shot back. He mostly imagined giving the board members of Wayne Enterprises his real opinion on them. Of course, he could never say it out loud and he would have to continue acting professional around them but it was nice to let it all out.

"Can’t you just sing your heart out under the shower like me?" Jason complained and pulled his shirt off.

"What are you doing?" Tim asked.

"I’m joining you," Jason said flat out. Tim blinked but he wasn’t complaining. He stepped back and waited for Jason to undress. A few seconds later, the curtain opened again and Jason stepped in.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey." Tim’s eyes trailed down Jason’s naked body before he looked up again and into Jason’s eyes.

Before Jason could lean in for what was meant to be a kiss Tim assumed, he hit his head against the shower head. "Fuck!"

Tim laughed in his fist.

"Jesus! Fuck this. Did you have to set it so low? And the water’s way too hot."

"Not everyone’s a giant like you. And I like showering hot, you know that."

"You can at least pretend like you care that I was hurt."

"I’m sorry. Does it hurt much?" Tim teased him.

Jason rolled his eyes and put the shower head further up. "Okay, where were we?"

"I think you wanted to kiss me," Tim said. Jason smiled and cupped Tim’s face in his hands, bending down. He kissed him slowly and softly, taking all the time in his world while the water of the shower dripped onto them. Tim closed his eyes and sighed into the kiss. He wanted to stay like this forever.

"The water annoys me," Jason said and turned it off.

"Now I’m getting cold," Tim complained.

"You always get cold." Jason brushed his hand over Tim’s face. His thumb stroking Tim’s lips as he parted them. "I can warm you up."

"I’m going to slip and die," Tim whispered. He looked up at Jason and his heart tightened. He was so beautiful, Tim thought. With his hair wet and sticking to his forehead, a few drops making its way down Jason’s face, his eyes on Tim. Sometimes Tim wondered how blind he could’ve been. Jason looked at Tim like he was everything to him, with a look so intense that warmed Tim’s chest. He should’ve known Jason liked him. He should’ve known just by the way Jason looked at him alone. It never changed, not over all these years. But since he knew what was really behind the look, it changed for Tim. It made him feel special and excited at the same time. He just hoped that Jason felt the same thing about Tim, that Jason knew how much Tim loved him as well.

Him, and only him.

"At least you wouldn’t have to go to the birthday party," Jason said.

"We don’t have to go there," Tim said. "We can just stay here." His hands moved over Jason’s shoulders, to his firm arms and his chest, down to his waist and hips.

"You know Dick will kill me," Jason replied.

"Who cares about Dick?" Tim joked.

" _Cass_ will kill me. She decorated, she even chose little bats to put on the wall."

"Nevermind, we really have to hurry up."

Jason laughed and kissed him one last time. "We still got about an hour left, babybird," he breathed against Tim’s lips. Tim swallowed hard when Jason pulled him closer until their bodies were flushed against each other. He brought one arm up and placed it at the back of Jason’s head, pulling him down, closer to Tim. Jason’s lips hovered Tim’s, not leaning in as if he was waiting for Tim’s response to his suggestion.

"Yeah," he said, curling his hair into Jason’s wet hair. "We do."

* * *

 

 

There really were bats decorated all over the room. Good thing his birthday wasn’t too far away from Halloween, it was probably how Cass got them. She was also the first to greet him, opening the door to Jason and Tim and dragging them along with her hands towards the living room.

Everyone was here: Bruce, Alfred, Dick, Barbara, Stephanie, Cass, Damian, who also brought his friend Colin along. Tim almost cried upon seeing them all wear birthday hats, even Bruce and Damian.

"Surprise!" Dick shouted and let a popper explode right in front of Tim’s eyes, the confetti falling everywhere on Tim.

"Wow," Tim said. "I am _so_ surprised."

"You can at least try to act like you didn’t know," Dick said and put on a birthday hat on Tim’s head.

"I did! Do I really have to wear this?" Tim asked and laughed.

"See? I do not see why I should wear this. It looks stupid and is degrading," Damian muttered. He was about to take it off but Stephanie slapped his hand away.

"Happy birthday," Bruce said. He was holding a cake in his hands with a big nineteen written on it with nineteen candles.

"Thank you, Bruce," Tim breathed out and smiled. A year ago, he had thought Bruce was dead. Bruce placed the cake on the table next to him and Tim pulled Bruce into a hug. The man seemed startled and froze for a second before he reluctantly placed his hand on Tim’s back. Tim could hear Jason snort and Barbara laugh in the background.

 

* * *

 

 

"Hey, Timmy," Jason whispered. "Wanna get out of here?"

"What? I can’t. It’s my birthday party," Tim said.

"Look at them, they’re perfectly fine," Jason said. He was right. Damian was currently playing a way too intense game of Monopoly after declaring it as stupid and getting frustrated at Cass winning despite Colin and Bruce having to explain to her how the game worked. Dick, Stephanie, and Barbara were singing Karaoke very badly and Alfred sat with Titus to his feet, watching them with a smile on his face.

"Come, let’s grab some snacks." Jason took his hand and grinned when he took out a plastic bag from the pockets of his leather jackets. He placed his fingertip against his lips and Tim gasped.

"Jay!"

Jason nudged him before he stored several appetizers in the plastic bag. He turned around and winked to Alfred who was the only one paying attention to them before he grabbed Tim’s hand and pulled him out of the room.

They found a place in the back in the gardens on a bench.

"Almost ten years ago," Jason said, "I fell in love with you. It was exactly like this, except we weren’t at the Manor."

"I remember," Tim said. It was his 10th birthday. His memories to it weren’t that clear, it was way too long ago but he still remembered how it was the first time Jason and he were together at a gala. He remembered how surprised he was to see Jason in a suit. It was so unlike him but looked really good.

"You know the exact moment I realized was when you kissed me," Jason said.

"I kissed you?" Tim furrowed his brows. "I would remember."

"On my cheek."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I was so shocked." Jason chuckled. "I didn’t understand why the kiss was confusing me so much and you kept talking and then it hit me."

Tim smiled and kissed Jason’s cheek again. "Like this?"

"Yes, exactly like this." Jason put his arm around Tim’s shoulder and pulled him close to kiss him on top of his head. "I knew I was young back then, I was like twelve or something. The fuck does a twelve-year-old know about love? But I knew then and for many years later. It wasn’t just a stupid _crush._ It was more than that."

Tim’s face heat up. "That’s so cheesy."

"I know," Jason said. "I have more cheesy things I can tell you."

"Yeah?" Tim was so close to Jason now, he was practically on his lap.

"One day, I’ll tell you how I always think of you of my little sun but I think that’s really embarrassing and cheesy it has to be reserved to my wedding speech or something," Jason said. Tim held his breath at how casually Jason mentioned a future wedding.

"So embarrassing and cheesy you can’t tell me now but you’d rather say it out in front of everyone?" Tim said. Jason huffed.

"Fine, I’ll tell you when I propose."

Tim laughed and climbed on Jason’s lap. "I love you," Tim whispered.

"I know," Jason said and smiled. _Good_ , Tim thought. _He knew_. He didn’t want Jason to ever doubt his feelings ever. Because Tim never doubted Jason’s. Jason brushed a strand of hair out of Tim’s face.

"It’s almost dark," Jason said. "Time to get on our suits again. Unless you want to take a day off. It’s your birthday after all."

"Jay, you know me. I don’t take off a day just because it’s my birthday," Tim said. Jason laughed.

"Here you are!" Stephanie shouted. Tim didn’t even bother to get off Jason’s lap, Stephanie had walked in on them in _way_ more compromising situations. Even walked into her and Cass just about a month ago when they were making out after patrol. It wasn’t exactly how any of them wanted Tim to find out about them being together but he was happy for them. "Really? It’s _your_ party."

"You didn’t notice until now that we were gone," Tim pointed out.

"Come on, it’s dark and we want to take a picture before we all have to head out for the night," Stephanie said.

"Okay, okay." Tim got off Jason’s lap and got up, taking Jason’s hand.

"A family picture," Jason grumbled. "I thought we only did that for Christmas cards. And I already hate those."

"No, you don’t," Tim said. Last Christmas was the first one in forever they all spent together. It was especially the first one in about five years Jason wanted to spend it with Bruce and even got him a present.

"Okay, but I’m hiding behind Cass," Jason said as they entered the room.

"I’m too small," Cass said with a smile, "but you can stand behind me."

Alfred was setting up the camera while Dick was ordering them all where to stand. "There you are! Can’t believe you ran off on your own birthday party!"

"They ran off to make out. It’s like they’re teenagers," Stephanie said with an exaggerated sigh following it.

"We did _not_ ," Tim said.

"Eugh, I do not want to hear what Todd and Drake do," Damian complained and Colin laughed and scrunched his nose as well.

"I was about their age when I fell for you," Jason whispered to Tim.

"Hush, Damian can and will never be able to know what love is," Tim joked.

"I can hear you, Drake!" Damian shouted. Tim grimaced at the younger boy.

Yes, he was a pain in the ass but he was family. Alfred pushed the button of the camera and hurried to Barbara’s side before the timer went off. Tim found Jason’s hand next to his and entwined his fingers with Jason’s.

This was where he was at home, with his family and Jason’s hand in his.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand that's it!
> 
> I didn't know at first if I really wanted the fic to end like this-- so cheesy and happy. But in the end, I thought after everything they've been through it's okay.
> 
> I can't believe it's over. After updating the fic every second day for two months... We came to an end. I looked at the original notes for the fic and saw that the original plan were 16 chapters. SIXTEEN. And here we are with a 29 chapter monster of a Fic.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who stuck around and read until this part, hope you liked it! Especially to those that commented on nearly every fic, it really made me happy!


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